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Lithops is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words lithos, meaning "stone," ops, meaning "face," referring to the stone-like appearance of the plants. They avoid being eaten by blending in with surrounding rocks and are often known as pebble plants or living stones. The formation of the name from the Greek "-ops" means that even a single plant is called a Lithops.
Lithops francisci is a desert perennial. It thrives in climates that are dry and have moderately low annual temperatures. It requires coarse, well-drained sandy soils and is therefore usually found on rocky hillsides. Its habitat tends to have a lot of metamorphic rock such as schist and gneiss, which also matches the natural coloration of the plant. This adaptation acts as a camouflage, preventing easy predation of the plant's succulent, nutrient rich tissue] The annual rainfall in the population range of L. francisci varies from 0 to 99 millimetres (0.0 to 3.9 in) per year, and temperatures fluctuate in the range 9–20 °C.
USDA Zone - 9
Season to sow - Spring
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