Lithops
hookeri, known as Living Stones, is a succulent that closely resembles a
pile of stones, hence the common name. They are native to South Africa.
Individual
plants usually have two bulbous, almost fused leaves opposite to each
other and hardly any stem. The slit between the leaves contains the
meristem and produces flowers and new leaves. Old leaves die after the
new pair has emerged. The leaves of the Lithops are transparent. These
leaves, or “windows” contain calcium oxalate crystals that diffuse onto
the area that is being photosynthesized in the Lithop. This helps the
plant absorb lots of sunlight even in minimum exposure. The leaves of
the Lithops are considered to be one of the leading plants with the most
developed "window" leaves. Occasionally two new pairs emerge and plants
can eventually form large clumps. The plant is almost entirely buried
in soil only exposing the flat upper surfaces of leaves. This is an
adaptation to the dry, hot environment in which they normally live.
The
colour of the margins and face island comprises opaque brown or buff or
greyish, reddish, pinkish or orange-brown. Channels and grooves are
opaque or very obscurely transluscent greenish brown or grey, greyish or
brownish green, orange or reddish brown or red. Lines dull dark red.
Shoulders as for the face dull grey.
Flowers are yellow, up to 3cm in diameter and appear during autumn.
Lithops
thrive best in coarse, sandy substrate. They love rather shallow but
comparatively wide pots, where the substrate does not become wet and
clammy in the deep part easily; under such conditions, they will over
the years grow to form large clumps.
