Living stone
The living stone camouflages itself by resembling a stone, and it performs photosynthesis through small windows on its surface.
Living stones are an example of plants that protect themselves by mimicking their surroundings.
The plant has one to two pairs of thick, water-filled leaves that grow opposite each other on the stem. Often, most of the leaves are hidden beneath the soil, and the visible part looks like a small stone.
On the upper side of the leaves, you can see a number of small dark spots. These are transparent areas, so-called "leaf windows," that allow light to penetrate deep into the leaf, where photosynthesis takes place.
Living stones grow very slowly, and usually only a single pair of leaves is formed each year.
Fact box:
- Greenhouse location: Desert House
- Danish name: Levende sten
- Latin name: Lithops
- Family: Ice plant family / Aizoaceae
- Natural habitat: Southern Africa