Faucaria felina aka Cat Jaws

Faucaria felina is a small succulent in the Aizoaceae family. Its common names include cat jaws and tiger jaws. It comes from South Africa, across parts of both Cape provinces. Its range spans western Eastern Cape and eastern Western Cape. Kew places it in a subtropical climate. In the wild, it grows among grasses or shrubs. It favours soils made of fine grains. Annual rainfall there ranges from about 200 to 700 millimetres. Rain falls mainly in March and November.

The plant forms tight clumps of thick, boat-shaped leaves. Its stems stay short and grow in tufts. With age, it forms a short, branched rhizomatous trunk. The supplied species account gives no mature height or spread. Leaves can reach 0.23 feet [0.07 metres] in length. Their width ranges from 0.016–0.066 feet [0.005–0.02 metres]. Leaf shape varies, from long triangles to shorter, broader shapes. The slender leaves spread out and end in slanting tips. A keel runs along each leaf. Their colour ranges from dark green to grey-green.

The leaf edges give this plant its jaw-like look. Each edge bears three to five teeth near the tip. Some leaves have fewer or more teeth than this. The teeth are broad, fleshy and curved, with white or pink colouring. Each tooth ends in a fine, short awn. Their wide bases and backward curves recall a cat’s claws. The leaf faces may look smooth or show faint pale dots. Tiny crystals in the outer cell walls create these marks. Compared with Faucaria tigrina, this species has fewer, shorter teeth. Its leaf spots also stand out less.

Flowers appear from late autumn into winter. They resemble daisies and open only in full sunlight. Each bloom can span 0.16 feet [0.05 metres]. The many narrow petals range from yellow to orange. White flowers occur, but the species account describes them as rare. Each flower has about 100–135 petals and 210–320 stamens. The fruit has a broad, bell-shaped base and top valves. Its centre may rise above the rest of the top. Fruits reach 0.033–0.052 feet [0.01–0.016 metres] long. The species account describes the plant as not threatened.