Lithops mystery #1

[iann]

I've posted this before, but I'm not really any closer to giving it a name.

It looks like this today. Very pretty, I think.

On the day I acquired it many years ago, tall and thirsty.

Shortly afterwards, less thirsty but even taller.

notbromfieldii2.jpg (42.55 KiB) Viewed 1137 times

[Astro]

Markings and shape of herrei and color of a sun-roasted naureeniae, or possibly geyeri? Hybrid?

[iann]

I think it might be L. herrei! I've overlooked that name before, focusing on L. naureeniae, L. geyeri, and L. helmutii, none of which are quite right. My other L. herrei plants look nothing like this, but they are all the translucens form. I think the colour is just about within range, at least for a plant on an exposed hillside in South Africa.

[Terry S.]

One page 217 of Florent Grenier's Namaqualand book, he mentions a very variable Lithops population to the north-east of Eksteenfontein that has elements of L. geyeri, marmorata and helmutii. So it is not easy to pigeonhole some of these species.

[FrancisJN]

Hi Iann, great plant. how did you get it to revert back to its more natural state from it being too tall? I have a few plants that are doing this and I am trying to get them shorter. Cheers

[iann]

Just have to stick with it. The new leaves will naturally come in shorter if the light is good. In a couple of years all should be good. Can tear apart the old leaves if they don't separate nicely for the new leaves. Or the new leaves might burst through at the base if they are really struggling.