Haworthia retusa

Haworthia retusa, Droerivier

Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval

retusa: with leaf-tips bent back thumb-like.

H. retusa comes from area around Riversdale. It is very closely associated with H. turgida (in Bayer´s newest revision he included H. turgida under H. retusa). In area around Heidelberg H. retusa may integrate to H. mutica or H. retusa var. nigra.

Plants usually grow single or seldom proliferous (form "geraldii"). The forms vary in cultivation and both dark and light green forms may occur. The darker forms may have some relationship to H. magnifica and the light forms to H. turgida.  Old variety fouchei  is much more robust, var. geraldi is smaller, forming dense clusters. When I visited Komserante, locality of both forms, I observed that geraldii was in full flower with some fruits, but fouchei, which grows on the same ridge few hundred metres away hadn´t any sign of flowering yet.

Bayer include all three species recognized by Scott viz. H. geraldii, H. fouchei and H. multilineata under H. retusa. Breuer recognize H. geraldii as a valid species. In Bruce´s actual ideas, H.retusa is connected to H.mirabilis.

Distribution map

Around Riversdale you can find H. retusa nearly on every hill or place where origin vegetation is remaining. Usually it grows under bushes or among stones. Sometimes above ground, sometimes well withdrawn in soil. I have seen plants almost 15 cm in diameter, in 99% solitary. On several places it grows near to H. magnifica,  in few cases natural hybrids were observed. Population from Kruisriver was described as H. vernalis, plants from here are somehow intermediate between retusa and magnifica. (see separed article)

In cultivation H. retusa belongs to easy species - if you grow them in more sunny position, nice leaf color and white lines will appear. Best method of propagation is from seeds, but in case of proliferous plants - offsetts. Easy method is also leaf propagation.

Haworthia retusa, SSE of Riversdale, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia retusa, SSE of Riversdale, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia retusa, SSE of Riversdale, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia retusa, SSE of Riversdale, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. retusa, SSE of Riversdale, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia retusa, Droerivier

Haworthia retusa, Droerivier

Haworthia retusa, Droerivier

Locality of Haworthia retusa, Droerivier

Haworthia retusa, Soetmelkstrivier

Haworthia retusa, Soetmelkstrivier

Locality of H. retusa, Soetmelkstrivier

Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off

Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off

Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off

Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off

Locality of H. retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off

Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier

Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier

Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier

Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier

Haworthia retusa X H. magnifica, W. Soetmelksrivier

Locality of H. retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier

Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

Locality of H. retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale

At this locality grows together with H. minima and very close to H. retusa 'fouchei' and H. magnifica 'asperula'.

Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale

Locality of H. retusa, W. Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve

Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve

Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve

Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve

Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale

Locality of H. retusa, S of Riversdale

Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport

Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport

Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport

Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport

Locality of H. retusa, Riversdale Airport

Synonym:
Aloe retusa, H. fouchei, H. retusa var. multilineata, H. multilineata, H .retusa var. solitaria, H. solitaria, H. retusa var. densiflora, H. geraldii
 
Known localities:

• 8 km W. Riversdale (3421AA)
• Along Corenete River, 10 km NW. Riversdale (3421AA)
• 4 km N. Riversdale (3421AA)
• SW. Riversdale (3421AA)
• Grootvlei, near Riversdale (3421AA)
• Blinkbonnie (3421AB)
• Zeekoegat (3421AB)
• Ferguson Drive (3421AB)
• 3 km N. Riversdale (3421AA)
• 5 km E. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Vet River Road (3421AB)
• 14 km E. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Riversdale commonage (3421AB)
• Riversdale (3421AB)
• 3 km E. Grootvlei (3421AB)
• Werner Frehse Reserve (3421AB)
• S. Riversdale (3421AB)
• SE. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Blombos, S. Riversdale
• 1,5 km SE. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Kweekraal, W. Riversdale (3421AA)
• Pienaarsrivier turn-off (3421AA)
• Plattekop (3421AB)
• Soetmelksrivier (3421AB)
• Jakkalskop (3421AA)
• 3 km S. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Riversdale Skool (3421AB)
• 1,6 km NE. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Riversdale Airstrip (3421AB)
• 2 km SE. Riversdale (3421AB)
• Droerivier, SW. Riversdale (3421AA)
• Ratelkop, W. Riversdale (3421AA)