Faucaria paucidens - Tiger Jaws Seeds - Indigeous Endemic Mesemb Succulent - New

Faucaria is a South African endemic genus of succulent subtropical mesembs that are placed in the family Aizoaceae. Faucaria species form clumps of stemless rosettes. The species are collectively known as 'Tiger Jaws'. This refers to the spiny looking edges of the leaves. The thick leaves are triangular or semi-circular in shape. The genus name Faucaria comes from the Latin for 'jaws'. Mostly found in the Eastern Cape and Karoo desert and only growing to 8cm in diameter they make excellent subjects for succulent pots in other areas. The plants are light green, turning a reddish purple when grown in strong sunlight. Golden yellow flowers appear from late winter to early spring in the center of the rosette. 

         
Put the plants in small pots with a well-drained soil and in a very sunny exposure and if possible outside in summer. They go dormant in winter when water should be withheld. They need this resting period to flourish the following growing season. The genus Faucaria was subjected to an extensive revision by Groen & Van Der Maesen in 1999. The 30 or so recognized species were reduced to only 6. Members of the Faucaria genus are among the easiest succulents to grow from seed.

Faucaria paucidens was once thought to be a variety of Faucaria bosscheana. It is a compact leaf succulent forming unusual clumps of fleshy, boat-shaped leaves, up to 7.5cm long and up to 2.5cm wide. It can be identified by its white bands along the margins of the leaves, and its absence or small number of relatively large teeth. Yellow flowers, which appear from late autumn to winter, are up to 3cm in diameter and open only in full sunlight.