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Lithops schwantesii var. urikosensis C074 (syn. christinae) 50 km W of Maltahöhe, Namibia

Family: AIZOACEAE · Variety or form of Lithops schwantesii

Description

Lithops schwantesii var. urikosensis (syn: L. christinae) is a distinct variety of the variable Lithops schwantesii. It distinguishes for the upper surface very rugose, slightly grey-white with dark blood-red dots and lines in grooves. Growths solitary or 2 or more in a clump. It has the same variable characteristics of the species.

Derivation of specific name: “urikosensis” from the farm Urikos where it was fist collested.

Body (paired leaves): Small, tapering, truncate, rounded; deep cleft dividing tops into unequal parts; window opaque; top of lobe rugose, the top surface of the wrinkles coloured pale yellowish-grey, in the depressions dark-brown dots, a few sometimes inter-connected forming about 18–23 short lines of the same colour; dots and lines with a distinct dark mauve-grey border; in the older stage top of wrinkles assumes a more pronounced yellowish tint; the dots disappear and only darker coloured dendritic lines prominent.

Flowers: Yellow.

Desmond Cole field number C074: This population distinguishes for having grey top with red lines.

Origin and Habitat

50 km West of Maltahöhe, Namibia.

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.

In the winter season the plant doesn’t need watering, but they will still be growing, the new bodies will be increasing in size as the old outer leaves begin to shrivel. In fact the plant in this time extracts water and nutrient stored in the outer succulent leaves, allowing them to dehydrate relocating the water to the rest of the plant and to the new leaves that form during this period until the old leaves are reduced to nothing more than “thin papery shells”.

Bibliography

Major refences and further lectures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  13. G. C . Nel “Lithops: Plantae succulantae, rarissimae, in terra obscuratae, e famailia Aizoaceae, ex Africa australi” Hortors Limited, 78, Bree Street, Cape Town, South Africa 1946