Orthopterum

Dwarf, compact perennials, forming small, cushion-like clumps; branches with 6 -8 leaves. Leaves opposite, slightly unequal, elongate-trigonous, spreading, up to +/- 30 mm long, 8 mm broad, with few or no teeth on margins, smooth, old leaves persistent, shiny; no crystals in outer epidermal wall. Flowers solitary, sessile to subsessile, +/- 50 mm in diameter, ebracteolate; opening in afternoon, closing by evening. Sepals 5, subequal. Petals 3- or 4-seriate, golden yellow within, reddish outside. Stamens collected into a cone, epapillate. Nectary of 5 separate, greenish brown crenulate glands. Ovary obtusely conical on top; placentas parietal; stigmas 5 or 6, filiform. Fruit a 5- or 6-locular capsule; septa of fruit separated into two, their upper part not flat as in Faucaria but arching on top of capsule; valve wings basally connate with valves, moving upwards into an erect position when fruit opens and valves fold back. Seeds pear-shaped, tuberculate. F lowering during late autumn and winter. D istinguishing characters: plants cushion-forming; leaves smooth, soft, unmarked; flowers yellow; fruit with septa arching over expanded capsules.