Accepted Scientific Name: Lithops bromfieldii
Notes Mesembryanthemum [H.M.L. Bolus] 2: 452. 1934 [23 May 1934]
Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
This is a medium sized plant, readily clumping. Distinguished by its rugose surface, pale pinkish-grey facial colour and very dark rubrications. Yellow flowers in autumn.
Origin and Habitat: South Africa, Cape province. It is found in a very small area on the south side and within 2-3 km of the Orange River, to the SW of Louisvale, S of Upington. TL 'Louisvale, near Upington, on low quartz slopes between the road and the Orange River'
Habitat: Grows in stonily soils comprising micaceous quartzo-feldspathic gneiss; granitic gneiss. Colours of the stony background grey-white, brown, pink.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Lithops bromfieldii
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Lithops bromfieldii L. BolusNotes Mesembryanthemum [H.M.L. Bolus] 2: 452. 1934 [23 May 1934]Synonymy: 26
- Lithops bromfieldii L. Bolus
- Lithops bromfieldii C040 TL: 15 km ENE of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii C041 15 km ENE of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii C279 45 km E of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii C348 20km East of Upington, Cape Province, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii C368 25 km SE of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae (de Boer) D.T.Cole
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae C116 TL: 70 km WNW of Griquatown, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae C382 70 km W of Griquatown, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae C393 70 km NW of Griquatown, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis (L. Bolus) B.Fearn
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis C042 15 km E of Keimoes, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis C043 15 km E of Keimoes, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis C057 10 km NE of Keimoes, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. menellii (L. Bolus) B.Fearn
- Lithops bromfieldii var. menellii C044 TL: 25 km SSW of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. menellii C283 20 km SSW of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. sulphurea C362 D.T.Cole
- Lithops rooi hort. ex Oesterr.
- Lithops rouxii hort. ex Oesterr.
- Lithops upingtonensis L. Bolus
Cultivars
(2):
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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Stone Palnt, Living Stone
ITALIAN (Italiano): Pianta Sasso
Description: Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) is a nice selection in which the leaves have clear and opaque, pinkish-grey almost milky raised and bumpy surface, with distinct islands marked with very, contrasting, impressed and branched dark chocolate lines (rubrications). The flowers are yellow. This cultivar comes true from seed but the clearnesses of the surface varies noticeably among specimens.
Habit: It is a small to medium sized plant, solitary or forming clumps of two to 10 heads, (mostly 4-6) to 1,5 cm high, typically dwarfed, in particular in the natural environment, but cultivated specimens can reach relatively large sizes. It conforms to the typical Lithops morphology: two thick, fleshy windowed leaves separated by a crack from which a yellow flower appears. The windowed part allows light into the inner portion of the leaf where the process of photosynthesis is carried out.
Bodies (paired leaves): Mostly less 20-35 mm wide, obconical, truncate with rugose surface, pale pinkish-grey or milky facial colour and very dark rubrications. Channels deeply impressed which branch and tail off into the marginal area and enclosing fairly large, raised islands and peninsulas. Margins and windows vaguely distinguishable. Rubrications filling the channels in an irregular network of lines, dots, hooks and dashes. Face and shoulders pinkish grey, creamy grey, greenish grey or light milky grey. Channels dull dark greyish green; it is often difficult to distinguish between the channels and concentrations of dusky dots. Rubrications dark red, red-brown or purplish red. Dusky dots dull dark greyish green.
Flowers: Yellow, thinly petaled, 25-35(-45) mm in diameter.
Fruits: Mostly 5-chambered, profile boat-shaped, top flat.
Seeds: Yellow-brown, rugose.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Lithops bromfieldii group
- Lithops bromfieldii L. Bolus: (var. bromfieldii) Medium sized with a bullate top surface and generally reddish coloured. Distribution: Cape province.
- Lithops bromfieldii C040 TL: 15 km ENE of Upington, South Africa: rusty orange, red lines.
- Lithops bromfieldii C041 15 km ENE of Upington, South Africa: dark red lines & dots.
- Lithops bromfieldii C279 45 km E of Upington, South Africa: like red-veined marble.
- Lithops bromfieldii C348 20km East of Upington, Cape Province, South Africa: variable, dark brown to milky green.
- Lithops bromfieldii C368 25 km SE of Upington, South Africa: mostly rusty red
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae (de Boer) D.T.Cole: Medium sized characterized by many dusky dots with a shining metallic reflex. Rubrications dull blood-red.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae C116 TL: 70 km WNW of Griquatown, South Africa: graphitic luster.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae C382 70 km W of Griquatown, South Africa: unusual form.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae C393 70 km NW of Griquatown, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. glaudinae cv. Rubroroseus
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis (L. Bolus) B.Fearn: This species is characterized by impressed valley-like channels, raised islands, and bold rubrications and is quite variable
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis C042 15 km E of Keimoes, South Africa: dusky, with red dots.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis C043 15 km E of Keimoes, South Africa
- Lithops bromfieldii var. insularis C057 10 km NE of Keimoes, South Africa: grey brown top, red lines.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. menellii (L. Bolus) B.Fearn: Medium sized form with rugose surface, pinkish-grey facial colour and very dark rubrications.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. menellii C044 TL: 25 km SSW of Upington, South Africa: grey brown top, red lines.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. menellii C283 20 km SSW of Upington, South Africa: Hebrew script.
- Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8)
- Lithops bromfieldii var. sulphurea C362 D.T.Cole: Small to medium sized green monster.
Notes: Distinguished by its rugose surface, pale pinkish-grey facial colour and dark rubrications.
Bibliography: Major refences and further lectures
1) Heidrun E. K. Hartmann “Aizoaceae F – Z” Springer 2002
2) Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole, Uwe Beyer, Yves Delange “Les Lithops” SUCCULENTES Spécial 2008 AIAPS (now Terra seca). 2008
3) Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole “LITHOPS Flowering Stones” Cactus & Co. Libri. 2005
4) Yasuhiko Shimada“The Genus Lithops” Dobun Shoin. 2001
5) Rudolf Heine “Lithops - Lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986
6) Bernd Schlösser “Lithops – Lebende Steine” Praktische Anleitung für die Zimmerkultur. Bussiness Point MEDIA. 2000
7) Steven A. Hammer “Lithops – Treasures of the veld” British Cactus and Succulent Society. 1999
8) Desmond T. Cole “Lithops – Flowering Stones” Acorn Books CC. 1988
9) Rudolf Heine “Lithops – lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986
10) David L. Sprechman “Lithops” Associated University Presses, Inc. 1970
11) Gert Cornelius Nel “Lithops: Plantae succulantae, rarissimae, in terra obscuratae, e famailia Aizoaceae, ex Africa australi” Hortors Limited, South Africa, 1946
12) Achim Hecktheuer “Mesembs, mehr als nur Lithops” Books on Demand GmbH Norderstedt. 2008
13) Werner Rauh “Die grossartige Welt der Sukkulenten” Hamburg and Berlin: Verlag Paul Parey, 1966
14) Stuart Max Walters “The European Garden Flora: Dicotyledons (Part I)” Cambridge University Press, 1989
15) Gordon D. Rowley “The illustrated encyclopedia of succulents” Crown Publishers, 01/Aug/1978
16) Steven A. Hammer “Lithops: Joyaux du veld” Editions Quae, 25/nov/2010
17) Gustav Schwantes "Flowering Stones and Mid-day Flowers: A Book for Plant and Nature Lovers on the Mesembryanthemaceae" Ernest Benn, 1957
Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops bromfieldii var. mennellii cv. Pale Selection (MG 1561.8) Photo by: Cactus Art Cultivation and Propagation: In the winter season the plant doesn’t need watering, the plant in this time extracts water from the outer succulent leaves, allowing them to shrivel away, relocating water to the rest of the plant and to the new leaves that form during this period. This plant is best for a well lit area (Bright shade to full sun). Water sparingly only when warm, no water when cold.