What are Lithops?
There are many types of plants in the world today, and many more that are undiscovered. Flowers and vegetables are a common sight in gardens worldwide, but occasionally there are plants that are surprises — plants that are not quite what they appear to be on the outside. The genus Lithops is one example. Discovered in 1811 by botanist William John Burchell, the Lithops plant was a surprise find from Africa. William John Burchell was on an expedition on the coast of South Africa cataloging wildlife when he discovered the Lithops plant. He thought he was picking up a handful of brightly colored pebbles when he noticed that the pebbles had roots. The plants do resemble stones, and it is from this fact that their name is derived. Lithos is a Greek word meaning stone, and opsis is a Greek word meaning face, thus the name Lithops means “stone faced.” The plant, a close relative of the cactus and succulent family, grows in small clusters close to the ground. While there is a large system of
