Living Stones

Lithops is a genus of extreme succulents that come from desert areas of Southern Africa. The plant consists of a taproot and one or more pairs of leaves. The leaves are very succulent and have a translucent window on top.

In the wild, most of the leaf except for the top is buried under sand. The translucent top allows light to enter the leaf. By being buried under the sand, transpiration is reduced. The leaves are shaped like stones - to act as camouflage against plant predators.

Each pair of leaves lasts one year and is renewed every spring. The old pair of leaves feeds the new and gradually shrivels. In late Summer, each pair of leaves will send up one daisy looking flower, followed by a seed capsule that can take up to a year to ripen.

Click on any picture to enlarge.

Pictures:

		L. pseudotruncatella subsp. dendritica
		L. hallii var. ochracea
		L. salicola
		L. lesliei 'albinica'
		L. aucampiae

See also:  Cactus & succulents, Culture / Germination

Flower Unknown seedling Baby These are three year old seedlings of L. hallii var. Ochracea × L. pseudotruncatella subsp. dendritica. Notice the different colours and markings.

Large Flower The flower can be larger than the plant!

Pair of Stones The pair of "stones" is actually the very succulent leaves. Glowing The top of the leaf is a window that allows light to enter. This causes the whole leaf to glow in sunlight.

Flower Flower

Bud Flower

Flower Flower

Leaves