Origin and Habitat: Conophytum bilobumSN|1166]]SN|1166]] has a very wide distribution, with subsp. gracilistylum as its most southern outpost, northwest of Bitterfontein, West Cape Province, South Africa

• Conophytum bilobum subs. gracilistylum (L. Bolus) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum gracilistylum N.E.Br.
• Derenbergia gracilistyla (L. Bolus) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum gracilistylum L. Bolus

• Conophytum bilobum subs. gracilistylum (L. Bolus) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum gracilistylum N.E.Br.
• Derenbergia gracilistyla (L. Bolus) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum gracilistylum L. Bolus
• Conophytum chauviniae (Schwantes) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum bilobum subs. gracilistylum f. chauviniae (Schwantes)
• Conophytum gracilistylum f. chauviniae (Schwantes)
• Derenbergia chauviniae (Schwantes) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum augeiforme Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum chauviniae Schwantes

• Conophytum bilobum (Marloth) N.E.Br.
• Derenbergia biloba (Marloth) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum bilobum Marloth
• Conophytum absimile L. Bolus
• Conophytum absimile var. major L. Bolus
• Conophytum absimile f. majus L. Bolus
• Conophytum absimile f. umbrosum L. Bolus
• Conophytum aequale L. Bolus
• Conophytum albescens N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum albescens (N.E.Br.) hort.
• Conophytum ampliatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum amplum L. Bolus
• Conophytum andausanum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum andausanum var. immaculatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum angustum L. Bolus
• Conophytum angustum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum anomalum L. Bolus
• Conophytum apiatum N.E.Br.
• Derenbergia apiata (N.E.Br.) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum apiatum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum apiculatum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum approximatum Lavis
• Conophytum auctum f. approximatum (Lavis) Rawé
• Conophytum asperulum L. Bolus
• Conophytum asperulum var. brevistylum L. Bolus
• Conophytum auctum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum australe L. Bolus
• Conophytum barkerae L. Bolus
• Conophytum beekenkampianum Tischer
• Conophytum brevisectum L. Bolus
• Conophytum cauliferum N.E.Br.
• Derenbergia caulifera (N.E.Br.) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum cauliferum (N.E.Br.) hort.
• Conophytum cauliferum var. lekkersingense L. Bolus
• Conophytum christiansenianum L. Bolus
• Conophytum citrinum L. Bolus
• Conophytum compressum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum conradii L. Bolus
• Conophytum convexum L. Bolus
• Conophytum cordatum Schick & Tischer
• Conophytum cordatum var. macrostigma L. Bolus
• Conophytum coriaceum L. Bolus
• Conophytum crassum L. Bolus
• Conophytum curtum L. Bolus
• Conophytum dennisii N.E.Br.
• Conophytum difforme L. Bolus
• Conophytum dilatatum Tischer
• Conophytum dissimile L. Bolus
• Conophytum distans L. Bolus
• Conophytum divaricatum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum diversum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum dolomiticum Tischer
• Conophytum ecarinatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum ecarinatum var. angustum L. Bolus
• Conophytum ecarinatum var. mutabile
• Conophytum excisum L. Bolus
• Conophytum exsertum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum furcatum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum geminum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum glaucum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum gonapense L. Bolus
• Conophytum gonapense var. numeesicum L. Bolus
• Conophytum grandiflorum L. Bolus
• Conophytum gregale N.E.Br.
• Conophytum igniflorum n.n.
• Conophytum inclusum L. Bolus
• Conophytum incurvum N.E.Br. & Tischer
• Conophytum incurvum var. leucanthum (Lavis) Tischer
• Conophytum indefinitum L. Bolus
• Conophytum insigne L. Bolus
• Conophytum klipbokbergense L. Bolus
• Conophytum kubusbergense Tischer
• Conophytum largum L. Bolus
• Conophytum latum L. Bolus
• Conophytum lavisianum L. Bolus
• Conophytum laxipetalum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum lekkersingense L. Bolus
• Conophytum leucanthum Lavis
• Conophytum leucanthum var. multipetalum L. Bolus
• Conophytum macrostigma (L. Bolus) Schwantes
• Conophytum markoetterae Schwantes
• Conophytum meyerae Schwantes
• Conophytum meyerae f. alatum Tischer
• Conophytum meyerae f. apiculatum (N.E.Br.) Tischer
• Conophytum meyerae f. asperulum (L. Bolus) H.Jacobsen
• Conophytum meyerae f. pole-evansii (N.E.Br.) Tischer
• Conophytum nelianum Schwantes
• Conophytum noisabisense L. Bolus
• Conophytum nutaboiense Tischer
• Conophytum obtusum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum obtusum var. amplum (L. Bolus) Rawé
• Conophytum ovatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum parvulum L. Bolus
• Conophytum philippii L. Bolus
• Conophytum piriforme L. Bolus
• Conophytum plenum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum pluriforme L. Bolus
• Conophytum pole-evansii N.E.Br.
• Conophytum proximum L. Bolus
• Conophytum proximum Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum proximum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum recisum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum simile N.E.Br.
• Conophytum simplum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum sitzlerianum Schwantes
• Conophytum smithersii L. Bolus
• Conophytum sororium N.E.Br.
• Conophytum springbokense N.E.Br.
• Conophytum strictum L. Bolus
• Conophytum strictum var. inaequale L. Bolus
• Conophytum stylosum (N.E.Br.) Tischer
• Mesembryanthemum stylosum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum subacutum L. Bolus
• Conophytum subcylindricum L. Bolus
• Conophytum subtenue L. Bolus
• Conophytum supremum L. Bolus
• Conophytum tectum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum tumidum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum tumidum var. asperulum L. Bolus
• Conophytum umdausense L. Bolus
• Conophytum variabile L. Bolus
• Conophytum vlakmynense L. Bolus

• Conophytum bilobum subs. altum (L. Bolus) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum altum L. Bolus
• Conophytum altum var. plenum L. Bolus
• Conophytum apertum Tischer
• Conophytum connatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum corniferum Schick & Tischer
• Conophytum durnale N.E.Br.
• Conophytum gracile N.E.Br.
• Conophytum gracile var. majusculum L. Bolus
• Conophytum graciliramosum L. Bolus
• Conophytum luiseae Schwantes
• Conophytum luiseae var. papillatum L. Bolus

• Conophytum bilobum var. elishae (N.E.Br.) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum elishae N.E.Br.
• Derenbergia elishae (N.E.Br.) Schwantes
• Mesembryanthemum elishae N.E.Br.

• Conophytum bilobum lacteum hort.
• Conophytum lacteum L. Bolus

• Conophytum bilobum var. linearilucidum (Lavis) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum linearilucidum

• Conophytum bilobum var. muscosipapillatum (Lavis) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum muscosipapillatum Lavis

Description: Conophytum bilobumSN|1313]]SN|1166]] subsp. gracilistylum (Conophytum gracilistylumSN|1166]]SN|1313]]) is the southernmost bilobe colony known, with unusual pale pink flowers. It is reasonably small and has neat, glossy, very slender, long-lobed, pale green bodies with a fine spotting. This subspecies will flower for several weeks if amply supplied. Seedlings cluster rapidly; the primary body often divides into three.
Habit: Robust caespitose (groundcover) plant, stemless or with short stems with time.
Bodies (paired leaves): Very slender 5-7 cm tall, with leaf-tips (lobes) free more than 10 mm long. Epidermis, glossy pale green, always smooth, finely maculate, non-papillate, often reddening if the plant has received too much light or too little water.
Flowers: Diurnal, slender and rarely wide-spreading, up to 3 cm long, scentless, pale pink (nearwhite) to rose-pink, never magenta.
Blooming season: Flowering in early autumn.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Burgoyne, P.M. 2006. Conophytum bilobum (Marloth) N.E.Br. subsp. gracilistylum (L.Bolus) S.A.Hammer. National Assessment: "Red List of South African Plants" version 2013.1. Accessed on 2014/01/27
2) Gordon D. Rowley “The illustrated encyclopedia of succulents” Crown Publishers, 01/Aug/1978
3) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug./2011
4) Hermann Jacobsen “Lexicon of Succulent Plants” Littlehampton Book Services Ltd. 1974
5) Hammer, S. 1993. “The Genus Conophytum - A Conograph.” Succulent Plant Publications, Pretoria.
6) Hammer, S. 2002. “Dumpling and His Wife: New Views of the Genus Conophytum.” East Anglia Engraving Creative Colour Ltd, Norwich, England.
7) Ernst Van Jaarsveld, Ben-Erik Van Wyk, Gideon Smith “Succulents of South Africa: A Guide to the Regional Diversity” Tafelberg Publishers, Limited, 01/lug/2000
8) Heidrun E.K. Hartmann “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae A-E” Springer, 2002
9) Werner Rauh “The Wonderful World of Succulents: Cultivation and Description of Selected Succulent Plants Other Than Cacti” Smithsonian Institution Press, 1984

Cultivation and Propagation: Conophytum bilobumSN|1166]]SN|1166]] subs. gracilistylum is a "winter" grower which is most active from late winter until later spring and heading for summer dormancy, but in favourable growing conditions it keeps going over the summer too and doesn't need particular care. All the forms of Conophytum bilobumSN|1166]]SN|1166]] are easy to grow.
Soil: Requires good drainage as it it is prone to root rot. It can grows outdoor in sunny, dry, rock crevices (protection against winter wet is required) It can also be cultivated in alpine house, in poor, drained soil.
Watering: It requires little water; otherwise its epidermis breaks (resulting in unsightly scars). Water minimally in summer, (only when the plant starts shrivelling), but it will generally grow even in summer if given water. Water regularly in winter after the previous year's leaves have dried up. Requires good drainage.
Fertilization: Feed it once during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. It thrives in poor soils and need a limited supplies of fertilizer to avoid the plants developing excess vegetation, which is easily attacked by fungal diseases.
Exposure: Keep cool and shaded in summer, it needs full sun or light shade.
Temperature: Hardy to -2°C. Ensure a very good ventilation.
Repotting: Avoid to repot frequently. This plant may stay in the same pot for many years.
Uses: Container, rock garden.
Pests and diseases: It is vulnerable to mealybugs and rarely scale.
Propagation: It can be reproduced both by cuttings and seeds. Take the cutting from a grown-up mother plant. Each cutting must contain one or more heads along with a fraction of root. It is easily propagated by seed. The small seeds can be sown in pots of fine, well-drained sand, any time during the spring and summer months when temperatures are warm. Cover the seeds with a very fine layer of grit and water from below with a fungicide to prevent damping off. For the first 3-4 days cover the pots with a sheet of glass/clear perspex to keep the humidity levels high. Remove the glass and replace it with light shadecloth and mist once or twice a day for the next two weeks after which most seeds should have germinated. From then on mistings can be reduced to every second and then every third day as the little plants grow.