E' una piccola bellissima succulenta, alta fino a 7 cm, le foglie cilindriche sono lunghe 2,5-5 cm e sono punteggiate in verde scuro o rosso. Le piante adulte formano un grosso caudice o una larga porzione dilatata vicino al suolo.

Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)

Scientific name:  Adromiscus festivus  C.A. Smith

Section: 5 Longipedunculati

Origin:  South Africa (High up on mountains in the Eastern Cape, Noorsveld)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Common Names include: Plover eggs, Knuppelplakkie

Synonyms:  

Adromischus festivus
It is absolutely adorable.

Description: Dwarf succulent, up to 7 cm tall, leaves 2.5 to 5 cm long. Form groups of stems.
Stem: Knobbly, stout very short, prostrate, with sparse branching. Older plants develop a massive caudex or large swollen area near the ground. Stems lacks root-hairs  (unlike A. cristatus)
Roots: Fibrous roots
Leaves: Fat, glabrous, small semi cylindrical, more or less mottled with dark green to red based on the exhibition of the plant to the light. Juvenile leaves can be broad with a long margin.
Flowers: Very small, sessile, white-cream or pinkish with violet tones, dusty looking, on a 25-60cm tall inflorescence.
Fruit: Fruit a dry many seeded follicle.

Since this species has highly variable in leaf markings and colour, it is worth collecting many forms.

Cultivation: They prefer well-drained soil in a partially shaded position and require a minimum temperature 5°C (But hardy down to -7°C for short periods), with good drainage and dryness in winter to resist the cold. Let the soil dry between soaking, in the wild, it receives rain mostly in spring and fall. Must have very dry atmosphere. They are vulnerable to mealybugs and rarely scale.  It is prone to rotting from the tuberous base or from dried inflorescences. As the plant matures, the centre becomes bare. When it does, restart it from side cuttings and throw away the central part.

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