Lithops - Au Cactus Francophone

two leaves entirely. Dinter extended this rule to a more general one that all
seedlings with a circular opening (Schlitzkeimlinge, Group A) were those of
species with white flowers, whereas the seedlings with a fissure separating the
two leaves (Spaltkeimlinge, Group B) belonged to plants with yellow flowers.
Unfortunately Dinter and Rusch only examined about 28 then known spe
cies and these mainly from South West Africa. The 28 species enumerated
by Dinter must be considerably reduced in number, as there are a number of
synonyms amongst them. Whether this rule can he upheld for all species is
a question which the future must decide.
Dinter states that the correct time to determine whether the plant or
seedling belongs to one or other of the above groups is from the three weeks
old stage until just before the cotyledonary leaves (first leaves) dry up.
Dinter gives a list of the following plants whose seedlings Rusch and
himself had examined;
Group A (yellow flowers, seedling with circular opening)
L. Comptonii L. kuibisensis L. Ruschiorum
L. Dinteri L. kunjasensis L. Schwantesii
L. fulviceps L. olivacea L. urikosensis
L. Franciscii L. pseudotruncatella L. Vallis‑Mariae
L. gracilidelineata
Group B (white flowers and fissure)
L. bella L. Eberlanzii L. Fulleri
L. karasmontana L. optica.
This list is a modification of the one given by Dinter. The synonyms
have been omitted.
DESCRIPTION OF GENUS
Body single or forming clumps of 2–20, embedded in the soil, usually
2–6 cm. in diameter, turbinate: top surface plain, convex, oblique convex or
obconical: top surface forming large transparent areas often reduced to minute
impressed lines or dots, sometimes only transparent miniature windows raised
or embedded in the body: window sometimes with few or many islands or
covered with an opaque covering perforated by circular openings: window very
often bordered by a narrow buff band: top surface plain or rugose, with or
without darker coloured impressed lines, with or without red to dark red lines
or dots embedded in the body or raised above the surface: sometimes warts
between the elevations, sometimes with dendritic markings: window with or
without a laciniated or denticulated margin, margin sometimes absent or in
ner margin straight, or with a triangular clear part at junctions of two mar
gins: colour of top surface white creamy white, grey white, yellowish white,
yellowish, green, green white, pink, reddish to purplish (Figs. 12 and 13).
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