Lithops - Au Cactus Francophone

figure 86 . lithops otzeniana nel
128
L. optica var. rubra, Tisch. Deutsche Kakteenkunde (1925/1926).
Gr. Namaqualand; growing in sand covered fissures of gneiss rocks
near Prince of Wales Bay. Fl. April 1909, alt. 50 m. Marloth 4675.
37. LITHOPS OTZENIANA
Lithops Otzeniana. (Plate 32.) Growths forming clumps up to 20, turbinate;
sides slightly mauve grey; upper surface flat or convex; window large, trans
parent, or semi transparent, occupies practically the whole upper surface; col
our of window varies from greenish, olive green to a somewhat violet tint;
window surrounded by a light grey to yellow grey border; the outer margin
laciniated, consisting of 10–12 laciniae; inner margin 4–6 laciniae; laciniae ir
regular, triangular, broadly oblong, obtuse to pointed, about as broad as long.
Flowers yellow.
Cape Province: Brakfontein, Loeriesfontein.
The photos (Fig. 84 88) reproduced here were taken at the time this
species was discovered in the field. They show (i) the nature of the habitat,
(ii) the characteristic features of the window, and (iii) inner and outer margins.
Fig. 88 grew amongst the plants shown in the other photos and yet it seems
to differ considerably from them. The margins seem to have disappeared, and
if one had found this plant by itself, you would have been tempted to create
a new species, but in reality it is nothing else but L. Otzeniana.