Fenestraria rhopalophylla appears very similar to Frithia pulchra, though the leaves are a slightly different shape and F. rhopalophylla has yellow flowers, compared to the pink flowers of F. pulchra.

In the wild, the plant commonly grows under sand, except for the transparent tips, which allow light into the leaves for photosynthesis.

The plant produces optical fibers made from crystalline oxalic acid[2] which transmit light to subterranean photosynthetic sites.

Fenestraria rhopalophylla is native to Namaqualand in southern Africa and to Namibia.

The plants generally grow in sandy or calciferous soils under low < 100 mm rainfall, that occurs in the winter.