Gasteria rawlinsonii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gasteria rawlinsonii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gasteria rawlinsonii, the distichous (non-spiral) variety | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asphodelaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
| Genus: | Gasteria |
| Species: | G. rawlinsonii |
| Binomial name | |
| Gasteria rawlinsonii Oberm. | |
Gasteria rawlinsonii is succulent plant of the genus Gasteria native to South Africa.
It is one of the most unusual of the Gasteria species, as it grows long leafy stems of up to 2 meters, which often hang down. It is also unusual in that its leaves are sometimes edged with tiny black teeth, unlike other Gasteria species.
One variety has distichous leaves, while in another the leaves spiral.
The inflorescences have pink flowers, and appear throughout the year, but mainly in Spring (between August and October).
Distribution
This species is restricted to the Baviaanskloof mountains, in the Willowmore District of the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Here it tends to grow hanging on cliff faces in shady ravines, growing in well-drained sandstone soils, usually on the shady south-facing cliffs. Rainfall is sparse (c.200–300 mm per annum), and occurs slightly more in the summer. The surrounding habitat is Albany thicket.
It has become popular in cultivation, as a slow-growing ornamental plant, for semi-shade landscaping.[1]
