Encyclopedia

Complete guide to the genus Coryphantha. The big-tubercled mountain cacti of the SW US and Mexico: 43 species, large apical flowers, and one CITES Appendix I rarity inside the genus.

Complete guide to the genus Epithelantha. The button cacti of the Chihuahuan Desert: 10 species, chalk-white pectinate spines, and the cleanest miniature in the cactus family.

Lithops julii subsp. fulleri is the Kenhardt-Pofadder Northern Cape form of julii, with a paler more variable face and rust-brown marginal lines instead of the nominate’s brown lip-smear. POWO synonymises under julii; SANBI tracks separately at Least Concern. Aizoaceae.

Complete guide to the genus Lithops. The living stones of southern Africa: 37 species, translucent face windows, and an inverted seasonal calendar that surprises every cactus grower.

Lithops aucampiae subsp. koelemanii is the windowless brick-faced subspecies of L. aucampiae from 35 km NW of Postmasburg in the Northern Cape ironstone belt. Cole 1988 subspecies rank, POWO synonymises under the nominate; sold under Cole’s name across the trade. Aizoaceae.

Lithops julii is the lip-smear living stone of southern Namibia and the Northern Cape, named for Julius Derenberg by Kurt Dinter. Grey body with the diagnostic brown fissure-wall marking, white autumn flowers, intermediate cultivation profile. Aizoaceae, no CITES.

Lithops optica ‘Rubra’ is the iconic translucent ruby-red to wine-purple cultivar of the Sperrgebiet living-stones species. In nursery cultivation since 1925, fully legal, no CITES. Late December–January flowering. Aizoaceae.

Lithops aucampiae is the chocolate-brown ironstone-belt living stone of the South African Northern Cape and one of the easiest Lithops in cultivation. Postmasburg type locality, yellow autumn flowers, RHS Award of Garden Merit. Aizoaceae, no CITES.

Lithops optica is the Sperrgebiet living stone of coastal Namibia, with the clearest near-unpatterned windows in the genus and white autumn flowers. IUCN Critically Endangered (2024); wild collection is illegal under Namibian law. Aizoaceae.

Lithops pseudotruncatella is the Khomas Plateau living stone Berger first described in 1908 and N.E. Brown transferred to the new genus Lithops in 1922. Namibian endemic with intricate dendritic face network and yellow summer-to-autumn flowers. Aizoaceae, no CITES.