The outer epidermal walls of 65 species incorporated in 14 genera of the tribe Stapelieae were investigated by light and electron microscopy (TEM, SEM). The species, all of them stem succulents preferring the semi‐arid regions of the Palae‐otropics, possess an outer epidermal wall, which is relatively simple in structure. The whole plant body is covered by a massive wax layer, in addition some species bear wax crystals. A cutin layer follows beneath, reticulate over its whole expanse and not divided into a cuticle proper and cutinized layers. A cellulose layer, which often exhibits enclosed cutinbodies, delimits the wall against the plasmale