Plantsnap – Identify Plants, Trees, Mushrooms With An App

Living stones (Lithops optica)

Description

Lithops optica is a species of plant in the Aizoaceae family, endemic to Namibia. The name "optica" means "eye-like" and refers to the rounded windows at the top of the leaves. In habitat, these two leaves emerge just above the surface of the ground. The well-known and widely cultivated "rubra" variety is a bright purple/red colour. While most specimens of Lithops optica do not have this colour, the "rubra" variety is by far the most commonly cultivated.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Caryophyllales

            • Family: Aizoaceae

              • Genus: Lithops