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Lithops hookeri var. marginata C155 (red-brown Form) 30 km NW of Hopetown, South Africa

Family: AIZOACEAE · Variety or form of Lithops hookeri

Description

Lithops hookeri var. marginata is one of the many a controversial varieties of Lithops hookeri, but its varietal status is uncertain and some consider it only a form of the latter. It is distinguished from Lithops hookeri for the upper surface usually rust-brown, with olive-green windows and top part of surface slightly rugulose. However it is the more variable variety for face colours with a tendency to broader grooves which often widen into channels and open windows occasionally even into partially open windows.

Desmond Cole field number C155 [red-brown form]: This population distinguishes for having pinkish rust top with few lines.

Origin and Habitat

30 km North-West of Hopetown, South Africa

Habitat: They grows on different kind of stony and gravelly grounds where are very difficult to spot. Substrata mainly composed by yellow-brown fine-grained sandy shale; red-stained quartzite; brown amygdaloidal lava; dark brown dolerite. They closely resemble the surrounding pebbles of their natural habitat, either in colouration and shape, this camouflage allows them to escape detection and is a very effective strategy for escaping predation. They are pollinated by bees, flies, wasps, gnats, bugs and other insects that are common in the area.

Cultivation and Propagation

They need an open mineral, fast draining mix and the maximum amount of light you are able to give them. The basic cultivation routine is: Stop watering after flowering. Start watering after the old leaves completely dry. (Usually late March or Early April) Water freely during the growing season, soak the compost fully but allow it to dry out between waterings. Some growers fertilize frequently, some hardly ever. Keep them dry during the winter. Nearly all problems occur as a result of overwatering and poor ventilation especially when weather conditions are dull and cool or very humid.

Bibliography

Major refences and further lectures

  1. Heidrun E. K. Hartmann “Aizoaceae F – Z” Springer 2002

  2. Achim Hecktheuer “Mesembs, mehr als nur Lithops” Books on Demand GmbH Norderstedt. 2008

  3. Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole, Uwe Beyer, Yves Delange “Les Lithops” SUCCULENTES Spécial 2008 AIAPS (now Terra seca). 2008

  4. Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole “LITHOPS Flowering Stones” Cactus & Co. Libri. 2005

  5. Yasuhiko Shimada “The Genus Lithops” Dobun Shoin. 2001

  6. Rudolf Heine “Lithops - Lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986

  7. Bernd Schlösser “Lithops – Lebende Steine” Praktische Anleitung für die Zimmerkultur. BussinessPoint MEDIA. 2000

  8. Steven A. Hammer “Lithops – Treasures of the veld” British Cactus and Succulent Society. 1999

  9. Desmond T. Cole “Lithops – Flowering Stones” Acorn Books 1988

  10. Rudolf Heine “Lithops – lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986

  11. David L. Sprechman “Lithops” Associated University Presses, Inc. 1970

  12. Gert Cornelius Nel “Lithops” Hortors Limited, South Africa 1946

  13. Edgar Lamb “The illustrated reference on cacti and other succulents” Blandford Press. 1978

  14. Christopher Brickell, Royal Horticultural Society “RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants: K-Z., Volume 2” Kindersley, 2008

  15. G. C . Nel “Lithops: Plantae succulantae, rarissimae, in terra obscuratae, e famailia Aizoaceae, ex Africa australi” Hortors Limited, Cape Town, South Africa 1946

  16. Heidrun E. K. Hartmann “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae F-Z” Springer, 2002

  17. Steven A. Hammer “Lithops: Joyaux du veld” Editions Quae, 25/nov/2010

Gallery

Lithops hookeri var. marginata C155 (red-brown Form) 30 km NW of Hopetown, South Africa
Lithops hookeri var. marginata C155 (red-brown Form) 30 km NW of Hopetown, South Africa© Agócs György · source · CC-BY-SA