Dorsteinis foetida is a strange, odd-looking relative of the fig.  A single-stemmed plant, fully leafed out, looks like a miniature Palm Tree. The stem bears conspicuous and prominent round scars of petioles, inflorescences and stipules in a spiral pattern.
 

Description: It is a perennial sub-shrub, stem succulent which may be branched or not. This is a very variable species especially in shape and size of leaves, and length of  petioles and stipules.
Since the various forms are connected by intermediates it is impossible to recognize infraspecific taxa.
Stems: It has a thick, dark green- to mahogany-colored conical trunk, that will grow to 15 centimeters in diameter and 30-40 centimeters in height, older parts often with peeling bark. The stem bears conspicuous and prominent round scars of petioles, inflorescences and stipules in a spiral pattern,  
Leaves:  Evergreen or caducous, at stems' tips, light green to grayish-green narrowly lanceolate to broadly elliptical (sometime nearly orbicular or linear), 1-15 cm long, 0,5-4,5 cm wide, tip acute to shortly acuminate, or obtuse to rounded.
Base attenuate to cuneate or rounded. Margin rather ‘crinkly,’ ondulate and crenate to subentire or dentate.  Lateral veins 3-15 pairs, Petiole 0,1-6 cm long, and relatively broad.
It has subpersistent to caducous leaf stipules, about 0,5 to 10 mm long.
Flowers: It produces grayish or green (or orange/pinkish), solitary, pedicellate, flower-like structures that are actually fruiting bodies called hypanthodiums. This  inflorescence is a weird, horned, tentacle-like disc-shaped structure that has given these plants the common name "Shield Flower."   The "Shield" actually consists of a multitude of miniscule flowers. 0, 5-2 cm wide.
Fruit: The seed pods open explosively when ripe and send the seed flying a considerable distance (up to 2 meters) - similar to some Euphorbias.
If you intend to keep the seeds, care must be taken to catch them with a piece of fabric or by other means.
 

New leaves in spring at growth resumption
after winter rest.

A "Shield Flower" with fruits.

USE: Though in Oman the tubers of Dorstenia foetida are cooked and eaten.   We do not suggest plants for consumption!

Culture: Dorstenia foetida needs bright light or partial to full shade, with warm temperatures and a well-drained soil mix that must not remain soggy for too long.  During the growing season, the plants appreciate a fair amount of water but allow the soil to dry slightly between watering, making sure that they never dry out completely.  They have to be kept in a rather high air humidity.  They are fertilized once during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. During the winter months they tend to go at least partially dormant and will exhibit some leaf loss. During this period, they should be given very little water.

Propagation: Dorstenia foetida are usually propagated by seed. Seed germinate readily at 21° C. They can also be propagated by cuttings.
 

Scientific name:  Dorstenia foetida var. foetida (Forsskål) Schweinfurth
Bull. Herb. Boissier 4(app. 2): 120, 1896

Origin:  It is native of a vast area, comprising  Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman.

Habitat:  Grows in decidous and succulent bushland, open places, and on rock outcrops, altitude 100-2100 m.

• Kosaria foetida Forsskål 1775 (Basionym)
• Dorstenia crispa Engl.
• Dorstenia radiata Lam.
• Dorstenia phillipsiae Hook.f.
• Dorstenia arabica Hemsl.
• Dorstenia foetida subsp. lancifolia (Rendle) Friis
• Dorstenia crispa var. lancifolia Rendle
• Dorstenia crispa var. pachypoda Chiov.
• Dorstenia foetida var. obovata (A.Rich.) Schweinf
• Dorstenia obovata Hochst. ex A.Rich.
• Kosaria obovata (A.Rich.) Schweinf. ex Solmsa

The inflorescence is a weird, horned, tentacle-like disc-shaped structure called hypanthodium, that has given these plants the common name "Shield Flower". The "Shield" actually consists of a multitude of miniscule flowers.

Autumn: the leaves start sheding

During the winter months they tend to go at least partially dormant, and will exhibit some leaf loss.