Pleiospilos nellii

Description

Pleiospilos is a genus of succulent flowering plants of the family Aizoaceae, native to South Africa. The name is derived from the Greek pleios “many” and spìlos “spot”. The plants are also known as kwagga-vy (“Quagga mesemb”), lewerplant (“liver plant”), lewervygie (“liver mesemb”), klip-plant (“stone plant”), split rock or mimicry plant. Pleiopilos nelii is a dwarf stemless succulent that closely resembles the stones in its natural area with its spotted appearance, shape and size.  Pleiospilos species have two or four opposite, very fleshy, grey-green leaves growing from a short stem that may be underground. The leaves, with their hemispherical shape and pitted texture, often strongly resemble a pile of split pebbles to deter predators. Flowers emerge from the centre of the leaves and may be very big in relation to the overall size of the plant.