Lithops schwantesii rugosa

Description

Lithops schwantesii var.rugosa is a variety seen in the Namibia area at north west of Helmeringhausen that differs from the type in colour.Face is pinky blue,channels are indented of a darker greenish grey with or without deep red lines and many humped areas.The shiny yellow flower appears in the centre between the slip of the two leaves.Apart from a more or less humped surface and somewhat darker channels it is identical and not readily distinguishable from subsp.schwantesii,if not for the geographical provenance.Habit: It is a tiny caespitose succulent that grows almost completely buried in the soil with only the upper truncated portion of leaves visible.Bodies usually forming small groups with 1-3 heads,but occasionally with more than 15 heads,up to 4 cm high.It is very variable,but conforms to the typical Lithops morphology: two thick,fleshy windowed leaves separated by a crack from which a yellow flower appears.The windowed part allows light into the inner portion of the leaf where the process of photosynthesis is carried out.As with many other species,several varieties or local forms have been described based on the variation of the colour of the tops of the leaves.