Download The Aizoaceae

Plant Mimics
The Aizoaceae
(formerly the
Mesembryanthemaceae)
How much can I look like a rock?
Lithops olivaceae
Lithops species
• The clump of plants on this and the previous page are
in the Genus Lithops, of which there are about 45
species with over 145 different varieties and forms.
• Each individual plant is about 0.75 – 1.5 inches long
and 0.5 – 1 inch wide.
Lithops werneri
mixed Lithops species
Lithops
• The word Lithops is from the Greek language;
litho meaning stone and ops meaning face. The
common name for these plants is living stones.
• The natural habitat of Lithops is South and
Southwest Africa. There are many species
that grow in the coastal Cape of South Africa.
Lithops
Lithops olivaceae. New leaves are emerging from within the
older leaves, which will dry up. The new leaves use the moisture
from the older leaves while this is happening.
Lithops
Lithops are succulents, which means that they store a lot of water; in
this case in the leaves and stem. Most of the plant (the stem) is
underground to conserve moisture. These plants are native to extremely
arid environments. Some of them get most of their moisture from fog.
This particular plant is dichotomizing, which means that two new sets of
leaves are emerging from one pair of older leaves. This is how one single
plant with two leaves can eventually grow into a large clump of plants, as
in the previous slide.
Lithops
Even with the majority of the plant body
buried underneath the soil surface,
Lithops are able to photosynthesize
adequately through translucent “windows”
on the tops of their leaves. These
windows usually appear as darker spots or
lines. Sunlight can penetrate into these
windows down to chlorophyll-containing
cells lining the inner portion of the stem.
There are many succulent plants that have
these translucent “windows” – they are
often called “window plants”.
When Lithops are grown in containers by
collectors, the plant bodies are usually
raised higher than if the plants were
growing in their natural environment. The
plants seem to fare better this way.
Lithops
Here are Lithops in various stages of flowering. The daisy-like flower
emerges from between the two leaves. Here you can see plants with
unopened flower buds, blooming, with spent flowers and with fruit developing.
Care of Lithops
Water plants when there are no new leaves emerging and the plant body
shrivels slightly. Lithops are generally watered most frequently during
spring and again in fall, when they usually flower. Sometimes only a light
misting is needed at other times, if the plant body shrivels a lot.
Temperatures should remain above freezing, light should be bright and
usually indirect (they can burn in bright sunlight) and soil must be
extremely well drained!
Split Rocks (Pleiospilos species)
Another rock “mimic”. This particular plant is about 6 x 2 inches long by 3 inches
tall. This is Pleiospilos canus. By the way, all of the plants in this presentation
are in the family Aizoaceae, which is the “iceplant” family. They are all related to
the “freeway” iceplant that is commonly grown in southern and central California.
This iceplant, like all the other plants in this presentation, originate from Africa.
More split rocks
This is Pleiospilos nellii, a more rounded split rock than the
previous P. canus. This plant is about 4 inches by 2 inches wide,
and 2 inches tall.
Other mimics
Conophytum species
Leaves about 3/4 inch long
Aloinopsis schoonesii
Leaves about 1/4 inch long
More mimics
In the wild, these
plants would be buried
up to their “windows”,
so they would appear
as little pebbles on the
ground. The leaves are
1-2 inches long.
Fenestraria rhopalophylla,
baby’s toes
More mimics
Titanopsis hugoschlecteri
Leaves about 1 inch long
More mimics
Another kind of
mimic – this time
imitating open
jaws with sharp
teeth!
Faucaria brittaniae,
tiger jaws
Leaves about 1.5 inches long
Care of plants (in containers)
1) Allow soil to dry between waterings
2) Plants like Lithops and Conophytum should not be watered when
new leaves are emerging and old leaves are drying up, but can water
for Pleiospilos.
3) Water minimally during cold, winter months
4) Protect from freezing
5) Bright, indirect light best for most
6) Well-drained soil mandatory
7) Fertilization – once per month during growing
seasons, half strength houseplant fertilizer
Stomatum species
The End!
Conophytum species
Deborah Ellis, MS. Consulting Arborist & Horticulturist
Saratoga, California, March 2009
Email: [email protected].
Web site: www.http://decah.com