Origin and Habitat: West of Klaarstroom, Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Habitat: Conophytum peersiiSN|22031]]SN|22031]] are winter grower succulents found in extreme dry areas in shale or quartzite rock crevices - known as obligate rock dwellers - where they don't have to compete with other plants for water, space and light. They are found generally growing on east, south or west-facing rocky outcrops and slopes - very seldom north-facing (too hot). They are often found growing in amongst mosses and lichens, and many noteworthy succulent plants can be seen in this area, including the panga mesemb (Bijlia dilatataSN|11049]]SN|11049]]). They grow, receiving a bit of winter rain, none at summer, but ocean fog moves inland in the evenings, and this moisture sustains a wealth of succulent life in this harsh semi-desert region. Their flowers are pollinated by nocturnal moths.

• Conophytum peersii Lavis

• Conophytum truncatum (Thunb.) N.E.Br.
• Conophytum parvipunctum Tischer
• Mesembryanthemum fimbriatum Sond.
• Mesembryanthemum truncatum Thunb.
• Conophytum albertense (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum albertense N.E.Br.
• Conophytum calitzdorpense L. Bolus
• Conophytum cibdelum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum malleoliforme (Schwantes)
• Mesembryanthemum malleoliforme Schwantes
• Conophytum minusculum (Schwantes)
• Mesembryanthemum minusculum Schwantes
• Conophytum morganii Lavis
• Conophytum multipunctatum Tischer
• Conophytum peersii var. multipunctatum (Tischer) Rawé
• Conophytum orientale L. Bolus
• Conophytum peersii Lavis
• Conophytum permaculatum Tischer
• Conophytum purpusii N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum purpusii Schwantes
• Conophytum renniei Lavis
• Conophytum spirale N.E.Br.
• Conophytum stegmannianum L. Bolus
• Conophytum steytlervillense Tischer
• Conophytum subglobosum Tischer
• Conophytum translucens N.E.Br.
• Conophytum truncatum var. brevitubum (Lavis) Tischer
• Conophytum brevitubum Lavis
• Conophytum truncatum f. parvipunctum (Tischer) Tischer
• Conophytum truncatum f. rennei (Lavis) Tischer
• Conophytum wagneriorum Schwantes

• Conophytum truncatum subs. viridicatum (N.E.Br.) S.A.Hammer
• Conophytum viridicatum (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum viridicatum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum archeri var. stayneri L. Bolus
• Conophytum catervum (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum catervum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum complanatum L. Bolus
• Conophytum dispar N.E.Br.
• Conophytum koupense Tischer
• Conophytum longitubum L. Bolus
• Conophytum muirii N.E.Br.
• Conophytum novellum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum viridicatum var. pisinnum (N.E.Br.) Rawé
• Conophytum pisinnum (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.
• Mesembryanthemum pisinnum N.E.Br.
• Conophytum viridicatum var. punctatum N.E.Br.

• Conophytum truncatum var. wiggettiae (N.E.Br.) Rawé
• Conophytum wiggettiae N.E.Br.

Description: The Witberg buttons (Conophytum peersiiSN|22024]]SN|22031]]) is a local or morphological form of Conophytum truncatumSN|22024]]SN|22024]] with pale bluish-green bodies dotted with dark green spots, but not easily differentiated from the standard Conophytum truncatumSN|22031]]SN|22024]], and hard to tell apart only by body characteristics.
Habit: It is a slow-growing, clump-forming, perennial succulent that forms huge tight mounds of sometimes many hundreds of pea-shaped heads, each one of them consisting of one pair of reduced, fused succulent leaves that get absorbed and regenerated every year.
Stem: Stemless.
Bodies (paired leaves): Pea-shaped with a sunken fissure at the flattened tip, marked with dark spots, and from grey-green to blue-green to having a heavy reddish colouration.
Flowers: The small flowers with spidery petals are nocturnal, and typically in shades of ivory-white, creamy, straw-yellow or salmon and very faint scented.
Blooming season: Plants flower during the fall months; each blossom opens at night. During the day the flowers close.
Roots: Very rudimentary filamentous root system.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Burgoyne, P.M. 2006. Conophytum truncatum (Thunb.) N.E.Br. subsp. truncatum var. truncatum. National Assessment: "Red List of South African Plants" version 2013.1. Accessed on 2014/02/03
2) Nicholas Edward Brown, A. Tischer, M. C. Karsten “Mesembryanthema; Descriptions: With Chapters on Cultivation and General Ecology” L. Reeve, 1931
3) Gordon D. Rowley “The illustrated encyclopedia of succulents” Crown Publishers, 01/Aug/1978
4) 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
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
10) Hermann Jacobsen “Lexicon of Succulent Plants” Littlehampton Book Services Ltd. 1974

Cultivation and Propagation: All the forms of C. truncatum are easy to grow. These plants grow on winter rain and head for summer dormancy. They require 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. Keep cool and shaded in summer, it needs full sun or light shade. Hardy to -2°C. Ensure a very good ventilation. Avoid to repot frequently. This plant may stay in the same pot for many years.
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.