Orbea lutea ssp. lutea, Orbea lutea or Orbea semota v. lutea

[RCDS66]

This, along with Stapelia gigantea, is one of the star performers in my location. I just need to shove a cutting somewhere and water it a few times and it not only sprouts but sustains itself without much care. But when I google it, I get different ids like Orbea lutea, Orbea lutea ssp. lutea, Orbea semota var. lutea etc.
Seniors, please advise.....

Few pics for my home.

[mickthecactus]

I so envy your growing conditions.

Could be any of those. Depends which author you follow.

[RCDS66]

Could be any of those. Depends which author you follow.

Thanks. Could you please enumerate it a bit. Which all authors are there?

[RCDS66]

Could be any of those. Depends which author you follow.

Thanks. Could you please enumerate it a bit. Which all authors are there to follow?

[mickthecactus]

The main two are Peter Bruyns and Darrell Plowes (now deceased) but they didn’t get on and never agreed.
Bruyns eventually went mad and decided all Stapeliads should be called Ceropegia. Nobody agreed with that and it was never taken up.

The other point is that lutea and semota flowers look similar but they come from very different areas.

[RCDS66]

The other point is that lutea and semota flowers look similar but they come from very different areas.

This is interesting. However, since there are no flower pics of O. lutea and O. semota on this forum, I couldn't compare. When I checked up on Llifle, first of all O. semota has chocolate brown colored starshaped flowers with yellow patches but O. semota var. lutea has yellow star shaped flowers. Both varients of semota produce solitary flower most of the time.
O. lutea var. lutea has yellow flowers that have relatively longish petals as compare to semota and come in clusters of 4 - 26 flowers.

Considering above, my plant should be Orbea semota var. lutea. Am I correct in my understanding?
BTW, there is not thread for O. semota var. lutea (yellow flowered one) on this forum.

[mickthecactus]

No thread because I haven’t flowered one!

I have semota ssp semota as the yellow flowered variety but there are other flower colour variations under that name. Take your pick!

Semota ssp orientalis is all reddish brown.

[Agave_fan]

Great pictures, would love to see a really close up shot of that beautiful yellow flower if you have it.

[RCDS66]

No thread because I haven’t flowered one!

I have semota ssp semota as the yellow flowered variety but there are other flower colour variations under that name. Take your pick!

Semota ssp orientalis is all reddish brown.

So if I say that my plant is Orbea semota var. lutea, would it be correct?

Great pictures, would love to see a really close up shot of that beautiful yellow flower if you have it.

Thanks Agave_fan. A real good closeup would need a macro lens and I will be able to do it on a weekend (if the plant is blooming that day ). I am not sure these would help but here are few close shots

[edds]

I know nothing about this group but from my experiences with many other plant and fish genera, you will be best to look at the descriptions of the whole plant and compare your plant to that to have a better idea as pictures can be rather deceptive whereas you can measure the diameter of stems and length of thorns etc. as well as looking at the flowers.

Both plants have fairly detailed descriptions here:
https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUC ... var._lutea

https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUC ... rbea_lutea

Though you may need the original papers if this doesn't give you a clear answer.

[RCDS66]

edds, thanks for the guidance

[mickthecactus]

For me it’s just Orbea semota. Semota v lutea is just a synonym,

[Agave_fan]

WOW The flower on this plant is stunning! I love the textured look of the body and the small hairs just coming off the edges, color is amazing. I am not even a flower person (more caudex and leaf) but this is an interesting and impressive flower. Thanks for the close up!!!

[RCDS66]

Saw this little fellow today, creeping out of the rocks......