Stapelia leendertziae is a tufted creeping succulent plant that trail and hang down with long, erect, angular stems. Stems are erect, pale green or reddish and slightly furrowed. Stems are quadrangular, a factor which allows expansion and contraction to compensate without harm for any excess or shortness of fluids inside; hence they may appear flat- or sunken-sided according to the availability of water. This is the "succulence" and a storehouse for nutrients, which are crucial to their survival in harsh, xeric habitats.