Lithops - Au Cactus Francophone

within 13 miles of the Orange River. A very interesting feature is that those
species with blood red markings are mainly confined to the northern Bank.
L. Dorotheae and L. Inae are the only ones so far as is known, which have
crossed on to the southern side of the Orange River. These two species have,
however, kept fairly close to the river itself and are not found far away from it.
In considering the distribution of L. Lesliei we find that it has ap
parently spread itself along the basin of the Vaal River from Vereeniging
through Klerksdorp and Venterstad as far as Warrenton, while one of its out
posts is found near Bethlehem on a tributary of the Vaal River. This species
also grows near Senekal and at Verkeerde Vlei, O.F.S. The two last named
places are also within the area drained by the Vaal River.
L. pseudotruncatella has a very wide area of distribution and is found
everywhere on the higher plains of the Khomas plateau near Windhoek and
its eastern extensions, and also in the Eros mountains, S.W.A., and their
extensions. This area is more than 5000 square miles. Situated in the middle
of the southern boundary is the Rusch Peak, which is 2420 metres high. On
this peak L. pseudotruncatella also occurs. Dinter described this as an inde
pendent species, L. alpina Dtr., although it is quite obviously a dwarf form
of L. pseudotruncatella. The Khomas and Eros mountain plateaux are broken
up by the Windhoek plain. The latter is about 1600 metres above sea level,
whereas the former are 1800–2000 metres high. In the Windhoek plain no
species of Lithops are found. L. pseudotruncatella is here more or less confined
to heights above 1800 metres.
This species also occurs on the south western slopes of the Khomas
plateau as far as Friedenthal in the West, and even reaches the Namib border.
Towards the south it has been found at a height of about 1400 metres. L.
pseudotruncatella also occurs in the eastern extensions of the Khomas plateau.
At Kranzneus on the southern extension of the Auas mountains, this species
is frequent at heights of 1750 metres.
Towards the east L. pseudotruncatella has followed the south eastern
extensions of the Khomas plateau, Klein Windhoek. Furthermore, it extends
eastwards from Klein Windhoek to Onde Karemba, Seeis, and from there to
Witvlei up to Heather Bell on the Black and White Nossop, 15 miles east of
Gobabis. Its most northern point in South West Africa is in the Waterberg
Mountains. The total area covered by this species is very great as it is more
or less distributed in all directions from the main centre, the Khomas plateau.
L. pseudotruncatella has not only a very wide horizontal distribution, but it
is one of the few species which has settled at a height of 2420 metres on
the Rusch mountains near Lichtenstein. It is found on the Khomas plateau
at an altitude of approximately 2000 metres, and penetrates as far as Witvlei
near Gobabis. It has been found in the basin of the Nossop, which flows
south wards, and later joins the Orange River. Its most northern outpost is
the Waterberg near Otjiwarongo.
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