View Single Post
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 06-05-2008, 11:48 PM
TimV's Avatar
TimV TimV is offline now.
Puritanboard Senior
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Oceano, CA, USA
Posts: 2,145
Thanks: 454
Thanked 542 Times in 355 Posts
Some Lithops, or living stones. Notice both the sphere shape, and the pretty "windows" on the top. These plants are like icebergs, with most of the plant underground. The windows allow sunlight to shine into the middle of the plant, where there is the wherewithal to photosynthesize. After rains they swell up, exposing the windows, which can then make and store food. During prolonged drought, the plant shrinks under the ground so as not to use up precious water. Here are several species, and you can imagine that the colors are designed to make the plant inconspicuous in various environments, i.e. to match the color of local rocks and soil.

__________________
Tim Vaughan, 48 years old, member Redeemer OPC, Santa Maria CA.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to TimV For This Useful Post:
a mere housewife (06-05-2008), PuritanCovenanter (06-06-2008)