Conophytum limpidum

Conophytum limpidum is a small species known by the English name Eye Leaves. It is native to South Africa, specifically the Northern Cape, where it grows in vertical rock crevices from the Pellaberg area east of the town of Pofadder.

This succulent is dwarf and consists of bodies formed by a single pair of fleshy leaves that are almost completely fused. The bodies are two-lobed at the top and can reach up to about 5 cm in height, with the upper surface measuring up to approximately 2.5 cm in length and 1.2 cm in width. The leaves are bright, vivid green and strongly windowed at the apex, with additional scattered translucent windows extending along the upper sides. Under stress, the coloration may shift to yellow-green tones. The plant may grow solitarily or form ground-level clusters of up to about ten bodies.

The flowers are diurnal and appear in autumn, often with a second flowering occurring about a month later. The petals are narrow, light pink to pink or white, and reach up to about 1.5 cm in length. The stamens and stigmas are yellow to saffron yellow.

Conophytum limpidum has a typical winter-growing cycle. In spring and summer it enters dormancy and requires little to no water, during which time the body is often covered by a dry outer skin. Active growth begins in autumn and continues through winter, roughly from September to March. It is a slow-growing succulent well suited to small containers.