The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1800 species. They are commonly known as ice plants or carpet weeds. They are often called vygies in South Africa and New Zealand. Highly succulent species that resemble stones are sometimes called mesembs.
Lithops is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words λίθος 'stone' and ὄψ 'face', referring to the stone-like appearance of the plants. They avoid being eaten by blending in with surrounding rocks and are often known as pebble plants or living stones. Lithops is both the genus name and the common name. The formation of the name from the Ancient Greek -ops means that even a single plant is called a Lithops.
Aeonium tabuliforme, the flat-topped aeonium or saucer plant, is a species of succulent plant in the family Crassulaceae, native and endemic to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It is low-growing, typically reaching about 5 cm high but up to 45 cm in diameter. It grows on moist, north-facing cliffs and ledges at low altitude. A mass of fleshy, hairy, bright green leaves in flat rosettes is produced on short unbranched stems, often on vertical surfaces. This species is short-lived and dies after flowering. Plants often take 3-4 years to flower, at which point they produce a tall raceme of yellow flowers.
Peperomia columella is a species of plant in the family Piperaceae. The species is endemic to Peru. It grows in dry areas, often in crevices on steep cliffs or in sandy soil. It grows to about 20 cm in height, forming snake-like stems, which carry closely packed succulent bright green leaves. The leaves are truncated, U-shape in cross-section, with epidermal windows on top. It can be kept as a houseplant and has received the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Haworthia truncata, locally known as horse's teeth, is a species of succulent plant in the genus Haworthia. It is found in the Little Karoo region, in the far east of the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Lithops salicola is a species of perennial plant in the family Aizoaceae, often called living stones, because of its resemblance to round grey pebbles.
Pleiospilos bolusii, the mimicry plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where it grows at an altitude of 750–1,100 m (2,461–3,609 ft). The species epithet bolusii honours Harry Bolus, a 19th-century South African botanist.
Lithops francisci, commonly known as one of the living stones or pebble plants, is in the family Aizoaceae. It is endemic to the arid desert environments of Namibia. It is a succulent with a natural habitat in rocky areas. L. francisci was assessed by Nicholas Edward Brown in 1925. It is one of the Lithops plants and shares the characteristic bi-leaf head pattern separated by a deep fissure, the bottom of which houses and protects the stunted stem.
Lithops karasmontana, is a species of flowering plant in the ice plant family Aizoaceae, native to Namibia and South Africa.
Leaf window, also known as epidermal window, and fenestration, is a specialized leaf structure consisting of a translucent area through which light can enter the interior surfaces of the leaf where photosynthesis can occur. The translucent structure may include epidermal tissue, and in some succulent plants it consists of several cell layers of parenchyma, which may also function as water-storage tissue. It can appear as a large continuous patch, a variegated or reticulated region, or as numerous small spots. It is found in some succulent plants native to arid climates, allowing much of the plant to remain beneath the soil surface where it is protected from desiccation by winds and heat while optimizing light absorption. Many species featuring leaf windows are native to Southern Africa.
Gasteria baylissiana, Suurberg gasteria, is a species of succulent flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae, native to the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Lithops marmorata is a species of succulent pebble plant. It is native to Southern Africa. The specific name is derived from the Latin word marmorata meaning "marbled."
Lithops olivacea is a species of the genus Lithops under the family Aizoaceae. The name olivacea refers to the Latin word for olive (oliva) combined with the suffix -cea, meaning "of the likeness," producing the idea of "olive likeness." Lithops olivacea grow primarily in the Bushmandland of South Africa. They grow most abundantly in the regions of Aggeneys, Pofadder, and Namies. L. olivacea also received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for being "excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions, available to buy, of good constitution, essentially stable in form & colour, [and] reasonably resistant to pests & diseases."
Lithops schwantesii is a succulent plant of the genus Lithops and a member of the family Aizoaceae. L. schwantesii receives its name from Gustav Schwantes, a prominent archaeologist and botanist of late 19th and 20th century. The succulent also received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for being a resilient and easy to cultivate plant.
Lithops divergens is a succulent plant species of the genus Lithops under the family Aizoaceae. It grows around the regions of Southern Africa and it able to withstand intense climatic changes due to its resilience as a succulent. The average rainfall for its natural environment is less than 500mm.
Lithops dinteri is a species of the genus Lithops of the family Aizoaceae. It is a succulent plant native to the desert climate of Southern Africa, where is receives an average yearly rainfall of 464mm. The succulent plant is named after Mortiz Kurt Dinter, a German botanist of the late 19th and early 20th century. He was a collector of exotic succulents and his collection numbered around 8,400 pressed specimens.
Lithops gracilidelineata is a species of the genus Lithops under the family Aizoaceae. The succulent plant lives in the southern region of Africa, and receives its name from the Latin words gracili and linea, combining to form the translation of "fine lined."
Lithops otzeniana is a species of succulent plant under the genus Lithops. It belongs to the family Aizoecea. L. otzeniana is native to areas of Southern Africa. It derives its name from M. Otzen, who invited its discoverer, Professor G.C. Nel, on the trip in which he discovered it.
Lithops julii is a species of succulent plant of the genus Lithops under the family Aizoaceae. It is native to Southern Africa, and was first collected by Professor Kurt Dinter, a German botanist, and named after his friend, Dr. Julius Derenberg.
Lithops meyeri is a species of living stone (Lithops), under the family Aizoaceae. It is native to Southern Africa and named after Rev. Gottlieb Meyer.
