Gasteria batesiana
Gasteria batesiana | |
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Gasteria batesiana in cultivation | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asphodelaceae |
Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
Genus: | Gasteria |
Species: | G. batesiana
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Binomial name | |
Gasteria batesiana Rowley
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Gasteria batesiana, or knoppies gasteria, is a species of
Description
This relatively small, variable species of
It is closely related to the Natal gasteria (Gasteria croucheri), which occurs just to the south in KwaZulu-Natal. The distinctive variety of Gasteria batesiana which seems to be transitional between these two species, is now considered as a separate (though transitional) species in its own right, Gasteria tukhelensis.
Distribution
It is the most northerly of all
Varieties
It is an variable species. Plants from the Barberton area are almost black in colour, while plants from the Mzimduzi river have almost smooth leaves, and those from Sifula in the south have very fine tubercles. The two recognised varieties are:
- G. batesiana var. batesiana: the common type variety, and the most widespread one.
- G. batesiana var. dolomitica: the northernmost variety of this species (and of the whole genus), occurring on sheer dolomite cliffs in Mpumalanga. It has long, slender, elongated leaves (100x15mm) and forms dense clumps.