Stomatium MUSTELLINUM

Stomatium MUSTELLINUM - Weasel-like stomatium, Stomatium mustellinum, Night Blooming Ice Plant.

"Living Stones" seed series.

Stomatium is a genus of perennial succulent plants in the ice plant family (Aizoaceae), comprising about 40 species distributed in South Africa. Representatives of the genus occur predominantly in the Cape Provinces and adjacent arid regions, on stony and sandy soils, in dry shrub communities, Karoo, and open habitats with bright sun, good ventilation, and pronounced seasonal moisture deficiency.

The genus is characterized by low clumping or creeping plants with short branching stems and opposite fleshy leaves. The leaves are usually triangular in cross-section, keeled, boat-shaped, or slightly gaping, green, glaucous-green, reddish, or purple, often with a rough surface and toothed margins. In many species, pairs of leaves resemble a small open mouth, which is related to the name of the genus.

Flowers are solitary, axillary, more often yellow, more rarely whitish or pinkish, with numerous narrow petals. In many species, the flowers open in the afternoon, evening, or at night and may possess a pleasant fragrance. The fruit is a dry hydrochastic capsule with several seed chambers, opening upon wetting and gradually releasing small seeds.

Weasel-like stomatium is a perennial clumping succulent from the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, where it grows in dry desert-shrub biomes. The plant forms dense low cushions with short branches and 4-6 pairs of small fleshy leaves. The leaves are often unequal in a pair, narrowly triangular, keeled or boat-shaped toward the apex, reddish, gray-green, or glaucous-green, resilient and rough to the touch.

The margins of the leaves and the keel bear broad teeth, the prominence of which may vary among different plants. Flowers are solitary, on short peduncles, usually about 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter, yellow, with numerous narrow linear petals. The flowers open in the afternoon, evening, or at night, often have a pleasant scent, and are especially noticeable during the warm season. The fruit is a dry capsule with 5-6 seed chambers containing small seeds.

The practical value of the species is associated with collectible and ornamental cultivation. Weasel-like stomatium is interesting as a compact mesembryanthemum succulent with toothed leaves, clumping growth, and fragrant yellow flowers opening in the evening hours. In cultivation, the plant is suitable for small pots, mineral arrangements, dry terrariums without a closed humid environment, and "living stones" collections.

Stomatium seeds are small, brown or light brown.

Sowing is carried out in spring or early summer, and year-round if stable lighting and bottom heat are available. A sterile fine-grained mineral substrate of sifted coarse sand, fine perlite, vermiculite, and a small proportion of poor leaf mold is used. Seeds are distributed over the surface and covered with the thinnest layer of washed sand about 1 mm (0.04 in) thick so that they are not washed away during moistening. The sowing is moistened from a spray bottle with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or biofungicide, if necessary with the addition of a growth stimulant.

The container is covered with a transparent lid or placed in a propagator. The temperature is maintained at 20-24 °C (68-75 °F) at night and 24-28 °C (75-82 °F) during the day; bright diffused lighting is required, without direct overheating. Ventilation is conducted daily for 10-15 minutes. The substrate surface is kept slightly moist, but not wet, since condensation stagnation and waterlogging quickly cause fungal infections and the death of small seedlings.

The first sprouts may appear in 5-7 days; usually germination takes 7-14 days, and the maximum possible period under cool conditions or uneven moisture is about 3-4 weeks. After sprouts appear, the cover is gradually opened slightly, and moistening is reduced so that seedlings do not stretch or rot. Pricking out is performed after notable strengthening of the plants and the formation of the first true leaf pairs, usually at a height of about 8-10 mm (0.3-0.4 in), while preserving a small clump of substrate around the roots.

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For stomatiums, very bright lighting with direct morning or evening sun is used. South, southeast, and southwest windows are suitable, but during hot summer hours with stagnant air, light shading from overheating is desirable. Under good lighting, the leaves become denser and may take on a reddish tint, while with a lack of light, shoots stretch, the clump becomes loose, and flowering weakens.

During active growth, a temperature of 18-26 °C (64-79 °F) is maintained; with good ventilation, short-term heat above 30 °C (86 °F) is permissible. Wintering is conducted in a bright cool place at 8-15 °C (46-59 °F), with almost completely dry conditions and good air circulation. The minimum safe temperature for a container plant is about 5 °C (41 °F) with a completely dry substrate, since the combination of cold and dampness quickly damages roots and shoot bases.

Watering is carried out moderately, only after the soil has dried out thoroughly. In the active season, water is applied in small portions, preferably around the edge of the pot, without prolonged soaking of the center of the clump. Excess water is drained immediately from the drip tray. In autumn, watering frequency is reduced, and in winter watering is done rarely, only upon noticeable wrinkling of the leaves. Overwatering causes rot of roots and shoot bases, while keeping in a humid atmosphere with poor ventilation increases the risk of fungal diseases.

The soil used is poor, loose, mineral, and fast-drying: coarse sand, fine gravel, pumice, zeolite, brick chips, perlite, and a small proportion of poor leaf mold or universal soil. A drainage layer is obligatorily placed at the bottom, and the surface is covered with fine gravel or quartz sand so that the base of the shoots does not come into contact with moist organic soil. Pots are chosen shallow but wide, with large drainage holes.

Repotting is performed in spring approximately once every 2-3 years, when the clump fills the container or the soil loses structure. After repotting, watering is delayed for 5-7 days so that damaged rootlets dry out. Feeding is applied from spring to early autumn no more than once a month with a weak solution of fertilizer for cacti and succulents low in nitrogen. Pruning is usually not conducted; only completely dried leaves and dead parts of shoots are removed. Overgrown clumps can be divided during repotting, but the main method of obtaining sturdy plants is seed sowing.