View source for Fenestraria rhopalophylla

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Aizoaceae
|genus=Fenestraria
|species=rhopalophylla
|common_name=babies toes, window plant
|habit=cacti-succulent
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|Min ht box=4
|Min ht metric=in
|Max ht box=6
|Max ht metric=in
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|Min wd box=6
|Min wd metric=in
|Max wd box=10
|Max wd metric=in
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|origin=S Africa
|lifespan=perennial
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|exposure=part-sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|water=dry
|features=flowers
|flower_season=early spring, mid spring, late spring, early winter, mid winter, late winter
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|flowers=orange, yellow
|Min Temp Num=32
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=8
|max_zone=11
|image=Fenestraria_rhopalophylla.jpg
|image_width=240
}}
Fenestraria rhopalophylla is an unusual plant from the deserts of South Africa.  Each leaf has a translucent window at the tip, where sunlight is filtered to enable photosynthesis throughout the leaf. Grows to 2 inches tall.

'''''Fenestraria''''' is a [[monotypic]] genus of succulent plants in the family [[Aizoaceae]]. The species is also called '''babies toes''' or '''window plant'''.
On each leaf there is transparent window-like area at the top, it is for these window-like structures that the genus is named (Latin: ''[[Window#Etymology|fenestra]]''). In the wild, the plant grows mostly buried by sand. The transparent tips are often above the sand and allow light into the leaves for [[photosynthesis]]. ''F. rhopalophylla'' is native to [[Namibia]] and [[Namaqualand]] in southern Africa. The plants are generally found growing in sandy or calciferous soils under low < 100&nbsp;mm rainfall.

''F. rhopalophylla'' appears very similar to ''[[Frithia]] pulchra'', though the leaves are a slightly different shape and 
''F. rhopalophylla'' has yellow flowers, compared to the pink flowers of ''F. pulchra''.

==Cultivation==
Will not tolerate water-logged soils.  Provide bright light.  Hardy to 32°F.  Water thoroughly when soil is dry.

===Propagation===
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===Pests and diseases===
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==Varieties==
Subspecies:
* ''F. rhopalophylla'' subsp. ''rhopalophylla''
* ''F. rhopalophylla'' subsp. ''aurantiaca'' (=*''F. aurantiaca'')

==Gallery==
{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->

<gallery>
Image:Fenestraria rhopaliphylla rhopalophylla.jpg| Large stand of ''F. rhopalophylla'' subsp. ''rhopalophylla'' seedlings
Image:Fenestraria rhopalophylla.jpg| ''F. rhopalophylla'' in flower
Image:Fenestraria_rhopalophylla.JPG| photo 3
</gallery>

==References==
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

==External links==
*{{wplink}}

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