Publication: Succulenta (Netherlands) 45 (3) 37-38 [Mar 1966]
Description
Lithops lesliei var. hornii is one of the local form of the very variable Lithops lesliei that differs in a number of colour characters, but not sufficiently differentiated and often considered merely a local variant of the latter (if not the same). Its faces typically displays an orangish-brown or pinkish-brown colouring with coarser, irregular and relatively opaque greyish brown branching patterning, and seems a brown coloured var. venteri.
Habit: Lithops lesliei var. hornii branches more profusely than other varieties, and often forms groups with more than 10 heads. Each heads consists of two leaves closely pressed together or united, except for a central fissure across the top, from which the large yellow flowers are produced.
Bodies (paired leaves): Medium-large, rounded from above, profile truncated, top of lobes elliptic-reniform, flat, smooth, sometimes slightly convex; sides coloured purple-grey, brownish or green; windows always present, rarely ridged or fully open, dark-green, consisting of small irregular, extremely variable confluent areas; densely or sparsely covered with light ochre, orangish-brown, rusty brown or pinkish-brown irregular projections from the slightly raised margins; in these projections small round dark greyish-brown openings; outer margin distinct but very irregular, sonic laciniae being very short, others projecting into the window; inner margin nearly straight or provided with obtuse very short lobes, giving the whole margin a wavy appearance; on outer edge of the margins few or many irregular distributed more or less circular windows.
Flowers: Large yellow.
Blooming season: Autumn (in habitat blooms in April)
Fruits: Mostly 6-cambered.
Seeds: Reddish.
Origin and Habitat
Endemic to a small area South-West and South of Modderrivier (South-South-West of Kimberley), South Africa.
Habitat: It grows in fairly heavy rainfall area in gravel pockets in grassy places. It is orangish-brown in the reddish soil from decomposed ironstone. The plants mimic the small, haphazardly arranged rocks that surround them. In habitat the plants grows embedded in the soil and can tolerate extreme hight temperature and only temperature that exceed 60° C are lethal.
Bibliography
Major refences and further lectures
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Heidrun E. K. Hartmann “Aizoaceae F – Z” Springer 2002
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Achim Hecktheuer “Mesembs, mehr als nur Lithops” Books on Demand GmbH Norderstedt. 2008
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Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole, Uwe Beyer, Yves Delange “Les Lithops” SUCCULENTES Spécial 2008 AIAPS (now Terra seca). 2008
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Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole “LITHOPS Flowering Stones” Cactus & Co. Libri. 2005
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Yasuhiko Shimada “The Genus Lithops” Dobun Shoin. 2001
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Rudolf Heine “Lithops - Lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986
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Bernd Schlösser “Lithops – Lebende Steine” Praktische Anleitung für die Zimmerkultur. BussinessPoint MEDIA. 2000
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Steven A. Hammer “Lithops – Treasures of the veld” British Cactus and Succulent Society. 1999
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Desmond T. Cole “Lithops – Flowering Stones” Acorn Books 1988
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Rudolf Heine “Lithops – lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986
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David L. Sprechman “Lithops” Associated University Presses, Inc. 1970
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Gert Cornelius Nel “Lithops” Hortors Limited, South Africa 1946
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Edgar Lamb “The illustrated reference on cacti and other succulents” Blandford Press. 1978
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Christopher Brickell, Royal Horticultural Society “RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants: K-Z., Volume 2” Kindersley, 2008
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G. C . Nel “Lithops: Plantae succulantae, rarissimae, in terra obscuratae, e famailia Aizoaceae, ex Africa australi” Hortors Limited, Cape Town, South Africa 1946
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Heidrun E. K. Hartmann “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae F-Z” Springer, 2002
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Steven A. Hammer “Lithops: Joyaux du veld” Editions Quae, 25/nov/2010