Pleiospilos simulans - Split Rock Plant

Split Rock Plant is a slowly clump-forming fleshy and one of the more unusual Pleiospilos species. It is stemless or very short with 1 to 3 branches. The body of the plant consists of 1 or 2 pairs of leaves. The leaves are grey-green to brownish-grey, triangular in cross section, very flat-opening, spreading, heavily keeled reminiscent of a wide-open serpent's jaws, broader than thick, about 7- 8 cm long, 3 cm large and 2 cm thick. The leaves are not as symmetrical and firm as the others Pleiospilos and fleshy with the consistency of rotten meat or weird rubber. The epidermis has a texture like sharkskin looking something like a cross between a Gasteria and a Lithops, with numerous dark-green dots on the upper surface. Flowers are scented, daisy-like, yellow to orange, with a white centre, Considering the size of the plant, they are quite large, sometimes up to 6 cm in diameter, sometimes in group of up to 4 borne on short flower-stalks. Split Rock Plant is native to South Africa, cultivated as a succulent ornamental plant in India.