![]() ![]() Rodents are known to enjoy eating the seed capsules and therefore would act as dispersers for some species. It is not very well known how Conophytum seeds are dispersed, but there are some ideas. The night-time opening flowers are pollinated by moths, which are guided to the flowers by the strong clove scent. ![]() White quartz reflects sunlight and therefore creates a much cooler microclimate for the plants compared to the adjacent patches of darker sands and dolerite rocks. calculus is found only on the white quartz pebble patches characteristic of the semi-arid regions from where it occurs. The specific name calculus comes from the Latin word for pebble, and describes the hard, rounded and smooth appearance of C. There are approximately 90 different species of Conophytum. The name Conophytum comes from the Latin word conus, meaning cone (referring to the shape of the leaves of many species) and the Greek word phytum meaning plant. Wherever there is summer rain, in fact, conophytums are absent.ĭerivation of name and historical aspects The Conophytum genus as a whole is endemic to the winter rainfall regions of the Cape provinces of South Africa and the southern part of Namibia. The plants can be very long-lived, some individuals have been known to live as long as 40 to 50 years.Ĭonophytum calculus subsp. Seed capsules are brown, spotted and very small, 3 × 5 mm, but robust and bear many tiny seeds. calculus has spicy, clove-scented, golden yellow to dark orange flowers which are nocturnal, i.e. ![]() The old leaf becomes a thin, dry, and smooth, beige coloured sheath, sometimes turning black, which persists on the plant.Īs for most Conophytums, this species flowers in autumn. New leaves are formed inside the existing ones and when, after a year, the leaf body starts to die, a new one emerges from inside. The leaf bodies are always without any spot or detail and measure up to 30 mm in diameter. The spherically-shaped leaf bodies are completely smooth and hairless, characteristically opaque (non-transparent and non-glossy) and have a chalky-green to pale yellowish green colour. calculus is a small, but very tough, low growing stem-less succulent with individual rounded ‘leaves' (fused together into one body) that multiply with age and cluster together to form a dome-shaped cushion. These humorous-looking ‘pebble plants' are easy to grow in pots and their unusual night-time opening flowers have a delightfully spicy scent.Ĭonophytum calculus subsp. Common names: cone plants, dumplings, button plants, sphaeroids, conos knopies (buttons), toontjies (little toes), waterblasies (water blisters) (Afr.) ![]()
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