Origin and Habitat: Vredendal, West Cape Province, South Africa
Habitat: It grows on Table Mountain Sandstone in crevices or in lichens and moss carpets.

• Conophytum giftbergense Tischer

• Conophytum obcordellum (Haw.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum obcordellum Haw.
• Conophytum creperum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum giftbergense Tischer
• Conophytum klaverense N.E.Br.
• Conophytum lambertense Schick & Tischer
• Conophytum lambertense var. conspicuum Rawé
• Conophytum longifissum Tischer
• Conophytum nevillei (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum nevillei N.E.Br.
• Conophytum obconellum (Haw.) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum obconellum Haw.
• Conophytum obcordellum f. declinatum (Haw.) N.E.Br.
• Conophytum declinatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum obcordellum var. germanum (N.E.Br.) Rawé
• Conophytum germanum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum obcordellum f. multicolor (Tischer) Tischer
• Conophytum multicolor Tischer
• Conophytum obcordellum var. mundum (N.E.Br.) Rawé
• Conophytum mundum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum obcordellum var. parvipetalum (N.E.Br.) Tischer
• Conophytum parvipetalum (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum parvipetalum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum obcordellum f. picturatum (N.E.Br.) Tischer
• Conophytum obcordellum var. mundum f. picturatum (N.E.Br.) Rawé
• Conophytum picturatum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum obcordellum f. stayneri (L. Bolus) Rawé
• Conophytum obcordellum var. mundum f. stayneri (N.E.Br.) Rawé
• Conophytum ursprungianum var. stayneri L. Bolus
• Conophytum parviflorum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum parviflorum var. impressum (Tischer) Tischer
• Conophytum impressum Tischer
• Conophytum spectabile Lavis
• Conophytum ursprungianum Tischer

• Conophytum obcordellum var. ceresianum (L. Bolus) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum ceresianum L. Bolus
• Conophytum ceresianum var. divergens (L. Bolus) Rawé
• Conophytum divergens L. Bolus

• Conophytum obcordellum subs. rolfii (de Boer) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum lambertense var. rolfii (de Boer) Rawé
• Conophytum rolfii de Boer

• Conophytum obcordellum subs. stenandrum (L. Bolus) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum stenandrum L. Bolus

Description: Conophytum giftbergenseSN|16149]]SN|16160]] is a dwarf leaf-succulent with broad and flat-topped bodies decorated with exquisite markings. It branches to form loose cushions up to 45 mm tall, up to 60 mm in diameter. Conophytum giftbergenseSN|16160]]SN|16160]] distinguish from Conophytum obcordellumSN|16160]]SN|16149]] by the usually larger pancake-shaped bodies, with more curved upper surface, smaller, not merging dots and less lively colouring.
Stem: It is almost stemless (branches very short subterranean). Internodes up to 1,5 mm.
Bodies (paired leaves): Small, obconical, pancake-shaped or somewhat heart-shaped, convex or somewhat depressed at the apex, up to 18 mm tall, 16 mm in diameter and 13 mm thick with a small growing cleft up to 5 mm. long, slightly depressed that doesn't reach right across the body. Faces broad elliptical in contour, glabrous, transition to the sides fairly rounded, somewhat unequal in size; upper surface smooth, bare, basic colour light grey green, marked on the upper side with irregularly distributed raised, , not merging, dark green to carmine coloured dots, often forming short rows that turn a beautiful bright red during the resting period. Dots on the centre of the leaf larger than towards the edge, fissure surrounded by dark row of dots, sides tinted slightly purple. The unspotted sides are pink to a deep dark red. Sheaths light brownish, dotted dark brown above, strong paper-like.
Flowers: Large straw coloured. The thin petals 35-40 crown segments, in 2-3 rows form an almost star-like, spidery structure, they are aromatic and very showy. Ovary enclosed or barely visible in the fissure, calyx tube up to 3,5 mm long light green or brownish, with stamens few united at the centre with the coronary tube as from the middle, filaments white, anthers projecting, style up to 2 mm long with 4-5 stigmas.
Blooming season: Blooms mostly Aug-Nov. The flowers are numerous and open at night.

Bibliography: Major refences and further lectures
1) A. Tischer “Conophytum giftbergense Tisch. spec. nov.” Cactus and Succulent J. of great Britain, Vol. 22. page 76 - Oct/1960
2) Heidrun E. K. Hartmann (2001) “Aizoaceae A – E” Springer
3) Hammer, S. 1993. “The Genus Conophytum - A Conograph.” Succulent Plant Publications, Pretoria.
4) Hammer, S. 2002. “Dumpling and His Wife: New Views of the Genus Conophytum.” East Anglia Engraving Creative Colour Ltd, Norwich, England.
5) Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. "Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist." Strelitzia 14.
6) S. M Walters “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: Casuarinaceae to Aristolochiaceae” Cambridge University Press, 1989

Cultivation and Propagation: The Conophytums belonging to the obcordellum group are some of the world's most fascinating plants and are sought by the collector of succulent plants. They grow on winter rain and heads for summer dormancy. If you provide them with the right conditions, they will reward you with their unique shape, size, colour and a proliferation of blooms in autumn. While Conphytum are picky about their care, if you are patient and remember the basics, your efforts will be rewarded. Being small plants, a representative collection can be grown on a patio table, a sunny windowsill or a shelf in the greenhouse. The growing season in northern hemisphere is from September to March.
Soil: Conophytum giftbergenseSN|16160]]SN|16160]] grows best in sandy-gritty soil and requires good drainage as it it is prone to root rot. It can grows outdoor in sunny, dry, rock crevices (protection against winter wet is required) It can also be cultivated in alpine house, in poor, drained soil.
Repotting: Repotting every year is not recommended. They may stay in the same pot for many years. Plants grown in larger containers have frequently relatively poor flowers. They might improve when the plants are given their own, small individual pots.
Fertilization: Feed it once during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus and succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. It thrives in poor soils and need a limited supplies of fertilizer to avoid the plants developing excess vegetation, which is easily attacked by fungal diseases.
Watering: The Conophytums thrive in dry and desert regions and are able to stand extended periods of drought and require careful watering. Water minimally in summer, (only occasional misting), water more abundantly after the previous year's leaves have dried up when they are growing in the autumn and spring, but let the soil dry between soaking. Requires little water otherwise its epidermis breaks (resulting in unsightly scars). If grown in a container, bottom watering by immersing the container is recommended. Ensure a very good ventilation. .
Light: It enjoy some shade (avoid direct sun as it grows wild among rocks and under the shade of other plants) and in summer it need to be kept in a cool area.
Hardiness: It prefer a very bright situation and require a minimum temperature 5°C (But will take a light frost and is hardy down to -7° C for short periods if it is in dry soil). USDA zones 9A – 11.
Uses: Container, rock garden.
Pests and diseases: It is vulnerable to mealybugs and rarely scale.
Propagation: It can be reproduced both by seed in autumn or (or rarely) cuttings. Take the cutting from a grown-up mother plant. Each cutting must contain one or more heads along with a fraction of root and permit to dry out a couple of days, lay it on the soil and insert the stem end partially into the soil. Try to keep the cutting somewhat upright so that the roots are able to grow downward. It is relatively difficult to root Conophytums from cuttings and generally pointless as well, so quick are they from seed.