| Lithops | |
|---|---|
| |
| Lithops sp. by Rudolf Marloth, 1929 | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Aizoaceae |
| Subfamily: | Ruschioideae |
| Tribe: | Ruschieae |
| Genus: | Lithops N.E.Br.[1] |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Lithops is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa. They avoid being eaten by herbivores with their camouflage as small stones, and are often known as pebble plants or living stones.
"Lithops" is both the genus name and the common name, and is singular as well as plural. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words λίθος (líthos) 'stone' and ὄψ (óps) 'face', referring to the stone-like appearance of the plants.
- ^ "Genus: Lithops N. E. Br". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2009-06-09. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2011-04-09.