Accepted Scientific Name: Lithops hallii
Succulenta (Netherlands) 1957, 85-86 [Jul.1957]
Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Origin and Habitat: 55 km North of Upington, South Africa.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Lithops hallii
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Lithops hallii de BoerSucculenta (Netherlands) 1957, 85-86 [Jul.1957]Synonymy: 29
- Lithops hallii de Boer
- Lithops hallii C022 55 km SW of Prieska, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C045 15 km SW of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C050 15 km SE of Strydenburg, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C052 25 km SSE of Hopetown, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C087 (syn. salicola reticulata) TL: 30 km SE of Hopetown, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C087A (Grey form) TL: 30 km SE of Hopetown, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C090 50 km NW of Hopetown, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C094 45 km SE of Prieska, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C119 30 km WSW of Strydenburg, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C135 (brown Form) 20 km SE of Strydenburg, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C136 (brown Form) 35 km ENE of Strydenburg, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C158 55 km ENE of Vanwyksvlei, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C174 25 km SE of Prieska, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C176 20 km SE of Prieska, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C318 45 km SSW of Prieska, South Africa
- Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea (de Boer) D.T.Cole
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C039 5 km NE of Groblershoop, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C059 TL: 10 km NW of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C098 50 km NNW of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C111 35 km WNW of Prieska, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C142A 30 km NW of Niekerkshoop, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C303 30 km E of Kenhardt, South Africa
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C372 15 km SW of Upington, South Africa
- Lithops salicola var. reticulata de Boer
Cultivars
(1):
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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Lithops, Flowering Stone, Living Stone, Stone Plant
ITALIAN (Italiano): Pianta Sasso
Description: Lithops halliiSN|13057]]SN|13057]] is one of the most variable white flowering species with broadly kidney shaped leaves pairs. This species shows shades of reddish-brown with regular fine to broad interlacing network of channels.
Flowers: The blooms are white 20-45 mm in diameter.
Fruits: 6-loculed capsules.
Seeds: light yellow-brown to yellow-brown, smooth to rugose.
Remarks: After flowering in the autumn and extending through winter season the plant doesn’t need watering, but they will still be growing, the new bodies will be increasing in size extracting water from the outer succulent leaves, allowing them to shrivel away. 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".
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Lithops hallii group
- Lithops hallii de Boer: Cole numbers: C022, C045, C050, C052, C090, C094, C119, C158, C174, C176, C318, C375; (Brown Form) C135, C136; (Syn: L. salicola reticulata) C087 and C087 (grey form). Truncate in outline, top surface usually flat, medium sized about 20 to 40 mm broad, fissure shallow, 4-7 mm. lobes conjunct. It forms forms small groups with 2-3 (or more) heads. Face slightly rugose with fairly distinct margins and relatively uniform and fairly easy to identify for its fine network of channels with mostly small regular islands. Shoulders, margins, islands greyish, pastel to pale brow with shadows of yellow, pink, blue, green, orange or reddish brown.
- Lithops hallii C022 55 km SW of Prieska, South Africa: brownish top, many lines.
- Lithops hallii C045 15 km SW of Upington, South Africa: white bodies, gorgeous.
- Lithops hallii C050 15 km SE of Strydenburg, South Africa: finely jagged red lines.
- Lithops hallii C052 25 km SSE of Hopetown, South Africa: reticulate reddish brown pattern.
- Lithops hallii C087 (syn. salicola reticulata) TL: 30 km SE of Hopetown, South Africa: has shades of reddish-brown with broad interlacing network of windows with mostly small islands and fairly distinct irregularly dentate margins.
- Lithops hallii C087A (Grey form) TL: 30 km SE of Hopetown, South Africa: like C087 but with grey bodies (not reddish-brown).
- Lithops hallii C090 50 km NW of Hopetown, South Africa: dark grey brown top, red lines.
- Lithops hallii C094 45 km SE of Prieska, South Africa: indented red lines.
- Lithops hallii C119 30 km WSW of Strydenburg, South Africa: greyish bodies, red margins.
- Lithops hallii C135 (brown Form) 20 km SE of Strydenburg, South Africa: red dots, brown lines.
- Lithops hallii C136 (brown Form) 35 km ENE of Strydenburg, South Africa: grey brown tinged pink.
- Lithops hallii C158 55 km ENE of Vanwyksvlei, South Africa: dark brown pattern.
- Lithops hallii C174 25 km SE of Prieska, South Africa: dark brown top.
- Lithops hallii C176 20 km SE of Prieska, South Africa: jagged transparent windows.
- Lithops hallii C318 45 km SSW of Prieska, South Africa: grey brown surface.
- Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa: exceptionally fine pattern.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea (de Boer) D.T.Cole: Cole numbers: C039, C059, C098, C111, C142A, C303, C372 The names comes from the Latin for “ochre-coloured” (reddish) for its more red-brown colouration: Profile boat shaped, diameter of the face about 20-30 mm. Shoulders, margins and islands, milky pink, beige, or orange or pinkish grey. Windows and channels greenish, red-brown, reddish blue, orange-brown, or brownish grey. Rubrications bright to dull blood-red or orange-red.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C039 5 km NE of Groblershoop, South Africa: bright orange brown top.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C059 TL: 10 km NW of Upington, South Africa: rich orange top.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C098 50 km NNW of Upington, South Africa: window with red lines.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C111 35 km WNW of Prieska, South Africa: rich rust-red.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C111A 35 km WNW of Prieska, South Africa cv. Green Soapstone D.T.Cole: yellowish-green in colour, but is otherwise the same as var. hallii. Shoulders pale greyish green.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C142A 30 km NW of Niekerkshoop, South Africa: Abrahamsdam, grows with hookeri.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C303 30 km E of Kenhardt, South Africa: grey orange, red lines.
- Lithops hallii var. ochracea C372 15 km SW of Upington, South Africa: variable orangeness.
Notes: Lithops are partly subterranean, with only the clear 'window' in each leaf tip exposed above soil. A type of optical system exists whereby a layer of apical tissue rich in calcium oxalate crystals acts as a filter to intense sunlight before it reaches the thin chlorophyllous layer below. They are also called mimicry plants as they show a striking similarity to their background rocks and are difficult to detect when not in flower. These are the commonly known as pebble plants or living stones; each species is associated with one particular type of rock formation and occurs nowhere else. Its soil-embedded, subterranean growth form also reduces the need for chemical defences against herbivores.
Bibliography: Major refences and further lectures
1) Heidrun E. K. Hartmann “Aizoaceae F – Z” Springer 2002
2) Achim Hecktheuer “Mesembs, mehr als nur Lithops” Books on Demand GmbH Norderstedt. 2008
3) Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole, Uwe Beyer, Yves Delange “Les Lithops” SUCCULENTES Spécial 2008 AIAPS (now Terra seca). 2008
4) Desmond T. Cole & Naureen A. Cole “LITHOPS Flowering Stones” Cactus & Co. Libri. 2005
5) Yasuhiko Shimada “The Genus Lithops” Dobun Shoin. 2001
6) Rudolf Heine “Lithops - Lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986
7) Bernd Schlösser “Lithops – Lebende Steine” Praktische Anleitung für die Zimmerkultur. BussinessPoint MEDIA. 2000
8) Steven A. Hammer “Lithops – Treasures of the veld” British Cactus and Succulent Society. 1999
9) Desmond T. Cole “Lithops – Flowering Stones” Acorn Books 1988
10) Rudolf Heine “Lithops – lebende Steine” Neumann Verlag. 1986
11) David L. Sprechman “Lithops” Associated University Presses, Inc. 1970
12) Gert Cornelius Nel “Lithops” Hortors Limited, South Africa 1946
13) Edgar Lamb "The illustrated reference on cacti and other succulents" Blandford Press. 1978
14) Christopher Brickell, Royal Horticultural Society "RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants: K-Z., Volume 2" Kindersley, 2008
15) G. C . Nel “Lithops: Plantae succulantae, rarissimae, in terra obscuratae, e famailia Aizoaceae, ex Africa australi” Hortors Limited, Cape Town, South Africa 1946
16) Heidrun E. K. Hartmann "Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae F-Z" Springer, 2002
17) Steven A. Hammer "Lithops: Joyaux du veld" Editions Quae, 25/nov/2010
Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa Photo by: Cactus Art Lithops hallii C375 55 km N of Upington, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Cultivation and Propagation: 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, no water when cold. 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. This plant is best for a well lit area (Bright shade to full sun). But don't be afraid even the best growers have plants that mysteriously dry up, or leave during the night.
Remarks: Improvement of lithops characteristics: Some growers (but not all!!) think it is very intriguing to reinforce any characteristic of cultivated Lithops of by crossing two similar selected plants and then back-crossing with the mother plant. This way we can eventually get some interesting results. Of course, many of the nicest Lithops we grow in cultivation have already been selected over time. However many Lithops are already nice plants which can’t really be improved, on the other hand one could try to improve the colour or the markings etc. Now if we have two particular plants we may attempt to breed between them and can maybe get a whole improved population and then select some better offspring to continue the selection.