Accepted Scientific Name: Lithops dorotheae
Succulenta (Netherlands) Succulenta 1939 [5 Jul. 1939]; cf. Jacobsen in Beitr. Sukkulentenk. u. -Pflege, 1939, 71. ('non dorotea')
Lithops dorotheae C124 TL: 15 km N of Pofadder, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
It is probably one of the most stunning of Lithops, specifically admired for their strikingly bright red markings, though individual plants are quite variable one to each other.
Origin and Habitat: South Africa Restricted to vicinity of Pofadder (Bushmanland). TL: 15km N Pofadder (C124)
Habitat: Grows on fine-grained sheared quartz and feldspar rock containing feldspathic quartzite.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Lithops dorotheae
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Lithops dorotheae NelSucculenta (Netherlands) Succulenta 1939 [5 Jul. 1939]; cf. Jacobsen in Beitr. Sukkulentenk. u. -Pflege, 1939, 71. ('non dorotea')Synonymy: 4
Cultivars
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Description: Lithops dorotheaeSN|13254]]SN|13254]] is a stone shaped succulent with a fissure across the middle with yellowish brown bodies, distinctly mottled with clearly defined reddish brown window.
Bodies (paired leaves): Small to medium sized, facial diameters up to 23 X 16 mm, mostly about 20-13 mm. Number of heads up to 7 or more, mostly 2-5.Yellow, medium to large, rarely up to 42 mm Ø, mostly 25-30 mm Ø. The profile is truncate-cordate; top surface mostly distinctly convex, fissure shallow, 7-10 mm; lobes conjunct, sometimes very slightly divergent at the top. The face is elliptic-reniform; lobes equal-unequal; opaque + transluscent; smooth. the margins are distinct and sharply defined, irregularly dentate or sinuate, usually with numerous peninsulas. The windows are seldom completely open, usually ± occluded. Channels broad to narrow, irregular. Islands few to many, small to large, irregular, usually sharply defined. Rubrications in the windows and channels, usually numerous bold regular lines, dots, hooks and stars, sometimes connected into a broken network. Dusky dots seldom visible even with a lens, few to many, scattered in the windows.
Colours: Margins and islands various shades of opaque creamy, yellowish or pinkish beige, sometimes tinged with green. Windows and channels various shades of transluscent greyish, brownish or reddish green, or greenish grey. Rubrications bright to dark blood-red, orange-red. Dusky dots obscure dull dark greyish green. Shoulders as for the margins.
Blooming season: Flowers appear in mid-autumn.
Desmond Cole field number C124: This population distinguishes for having bright red lines on pale top.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Lithops dorotheae group
Bibliography: COLE, DESMOND T. and NAUREEN A., (2005) Lithops Flowering Stones, Cactus&Co. Libri.
Uncommon red markings within motteling make this a very desireable addition to anyone's collection. Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops dorotheae C124 TL: 15 km N of Pofadder, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops dorotheae C124 TL: 15 km N of Pofadder, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops dorotheae C124 TL: 15 km N of Pofadder, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops dorotheae C124 TL: 15 km N of Pofadder, South Africa Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Lithops dorotheae C124 TL: 15 km N of Pofadder, 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).
Propagation: Seeds.
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".