Lithops helmutii

Lithops helmutii is a stemless, succulent mesemb growing pale greenish, top-like leaf-pairs, usually forming clumps of up to six, often unequal pairs, occasionally many.

There is a deep and wide fissure between the partly fused leaves that have oblique, notably convex tops. The large, glassy leaf-top windows may be divided by opaque skin islands and surrounded by ragged margins. There is sometimes variable mottling on the skin around the window, while yellow or pinkish colouring may be seen. The leaf bodies become up to 3 cm tall.

Solitary yellow flowers grow from the leaf-pair fissure when conditions are favourable in season. The flower centre is white, while some entirely white flowers occur. The spreading corolla is about 3 cm in diameter. Flowers open in the afternoon and close by sunset. Flowering happens in the later part of autumn.

The species distribution is restricted to a small area north of Steinkopf in the Northern Cape. The photo was taken at the Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden in February.

The habitat is succulent scrubveld in quartz-rich soil. The plant is considered to be vulnerable in habitat early in the twenty first century, due to range restriction, plant collection and habitat degradation (Frandsen 2017; http://llifle.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).