Lithops bracts

[D^L]

I have seen a few comments about the organs we think of as conventional leaves in Lithops, potentially being bracts. iann offered some comments about this noting that Lithops have no other bracts and that mature leaves are somewhat different to immature ones, perhaps suggesting a change in structure as they get older. He also suggested, I think that there was some work studying this. Does anyone (iann? or anyone else ) know about this work or have a name of the worker or reference to it? My few minutes on google weren't very productive!

Thanks
David Lambie
Bristol

[Terry S.]

Hartmann in her Glottiphyllum monograph in Bradleya 11 showed that true leaves were only present in seedlings and that all of the adult "leaves" were in fact bracts. I have no idea what the situation is with Lithops but there is obviously precedent for the suggestion.

[D^L]

Very interesting, Terry, I don't remember that. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll have a read. Anyone got anything Lithops specific?
Cheers
David

[rthr]

Hi David,

Don Smith wrote about 'Lithops Leaf Bracts' in the Mesemb Study Group Bulletin Vol 31 No 3 (2016). He mentions it having been a theory of Heidi Hartmann.

Catherine

[iann]

I corresponding with Heidi Hartmann about this. She was looking into it (and many other things!) after her studies on Glottiphyllum, but I don't think she ever put anything into print.

[D^L]

Thanks iann and Catherine for your helpful replies.
Cheers
David Lambie
Bristol