Haworthiopsis viscosa

H. viscosa, Sandpoort

Haworthiopsis viscosa (L.) Haw.

viscosa: sticky

H. viscosa has trifarious leaf arrangement, scabrous rather than tubercled as in H. nigra. The colour and size account for the vast majority of variants. Smith has described 15 varieties. It is a proliferous species, which forms clumps. In nature they grows in all kind of situations - in shade in the middle of the bushes, in rock crevices or exposed on full sun. It is not very photogenic plant, because very often it is grazed from animals - game or goats and sheep.

Distribution map

H. viscosa is widely distributed in the eastern, central and southern Karoo and Little Karoo and it is also extends into the lower Gamtoos Valley.
It hybridizes with several species. The hybrid with H. scabra was described as H. tauteae, hybrid with H. longiana is undescribed and also hybrid with H. fasciata was found or with glauca too. I found hybrid with Astroloba corrugata - see photo below. H. beanii, form described by Smith, is recognized as separed species by Ingo Breuer. Ingo has also described H. viscosa var. variabilis from Brandekraal and surrounding area (see separed article).

H. viscosa, Groot Kommandokloof

H. viscosa is an easy species, which can be easily propagated by offsets or stem cutting. It is not much popular in collection, but if it is grown properly, some forms can be quite attractive.

H. viscosa, Klokkies, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Klokkies, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. viscosa, Klokkies, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Rietvally, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa and  H. truncata f. crassa, Rietvally, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Rietvally, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. viscosa, Rietvally, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Adamskraal, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Adamskraal, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. viscosa, Adamskraal, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Grootrivier Poort, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Grootrivier Poort, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. viscosa, Grootrivier Poort, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Hadley, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Hadley, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. viscosa, Hadley, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Wilgefontein, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Wilgefontein, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. viscosa, Wilgefontein, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, just S. Steytlerville, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, just S. Steytlerville, NEW PHOTO

H. viscosa, Kouenek

Locality of H. viscosa, Kouenek

H. viscosa, Wilhem´s Hoogte, N of Graskop

H. viscosa, Wilhem´s Hoogte, N of Graskop

Locality of H. viscosa, Wilhem´s Hoogte, N of Graskop

H. viscosa, Groot Kommandokloof

H. viscosa 'dereki-clarkii', Geelhoutbos

H. viscosa, Sandvlaktekloof

H. viscosa, NE of Bosrug

H. viscosa, NE of Bosrug

Locality of H. viscosa, NE of Bosrug

H. viscosa, Rus-en-Vrede kloof

H. viscosa, Rus-en-Vrede kloof

H. viscosa, Scholtzkloof rivier

Locality of H. viscosa, Scholtzkloof rivier

H. viscosa, W of Vrischgewaagd

H. viscosa, W of Vrischgewaagd

H. viscosa, Kleinberg, NW of Calitzdorp

H. viscosa, Kleinberg, NW of Calitzdorp

Locality of H. viscosa, Kleinberg, NW of Calitzdorp

H. viscosa, Kareerivier

H. viscosa, Kareerivier

Locality of H. viscosa, Kareerivier

H. viscosa, Waaipoort

H. viscosa, Waaipoort

Locality of H. viscosa, Waaipoort

H. viscosa, Wynandsrivier

H. viscosa, Wynandsrivier

Lovality of H. viscosa, Wynandsrivier

H. viscosa, Beweras

H. viscosa, Beweras

Locality of H. viscosa, Beweras

H. viscosa, Sandpoort East

Locality of H. viscosa, Sandpoort East

H. viscosa, Andrieskraal

H. viscosa, Andrieskraal

H. viscosa, near Graaff-Reinet

H. viscosa, near Graaff-Reinet

Locality of H. viscosa, near Graaff-Reinet

H. viscosa, Viskuil

H. viscosa, Viskuil

H. viscosa,Toorwater

H. viscosa,Toorwater

Locality of H. viscosa,Toorwater

H. viscosa, Kandelaarsrivier

H. viscosa, Kandelaarsrivier

H. viscosa, Grootkloof, Swartberg Pass

H. viscosa, Grootkloof, Swartberg Pass

H. viscosa, Poortfontein

H. viscosa, Poortfontein

H. viscosa X Astroloba corrugata, Poortfontein

H. viscosa, Wolverfontein

H. viscosa, Wagensdrift

H. viscosa, Wagensdrift

H. viscosa, Malvadraai

H. viscosa, Scholtzkloof

H. viscosa, Scholtzkloof

H. viscosa, Kruidfontein

Locality of H. viscosa, Kruidfontein

H. viscosa, Arrievlakte

H. viscosa, Arrievlakte

Locality of H. viscosa, Arrievlakte

H. viscosa, Sandpoort

H. viscosa, Finchley Farm

H. viscosa, Finchley Farm

H. viscosa, Grootpoort

H. viscosa, Grootpoort

H. viscosa, Aasvoelberg West

H. viscosa, Aasvoelberg West

Locality of H. viscosa, Aasvoelberg West

H. viscosa, W. Touwsfontein

H. viscosa, Die Poort

H. viscosa, Die Poort

H. viscosa, Matjiesvalley

H. viscosa, Matjiesvalley

H. viscosa, Gertsmitskloof

H. viscosa, Gertsmitskloof

Locality of H. viscosa, Gertsmitskloof

H. viscosa, Langhuis, W. Studtis

H. viscosa, Langhuis, W. Studtis

Synonym: Aloe viscosa, H. viscosa var. pseudotortuosa, Aloe pseudotortuosa, H. pseudotortuosa, Aloe subtortuosa, H. tortuosa, Aloe tortuosa, H. concinna, Aloe tortuosa var. major, Aloe concinna, H. viscosa var. concinna, H. asperiuscula, Aloe asperiuscula, H. cordifolia, Aloe cordifolia, H. indurata, Aloe viscosa var. indurata, H. viscosa var. indurata, H. viscosa var. major, H. viscosa var. minor, H. viscosa var. parvifolia, H. torquata, H. viscosa var. torquata, Aloe torquata, H. viscosa var. subobtusa, H. viscosa var. caespitosa, H. viscosa var. cougaensis, H. viscosa var. viridissima, H. asperiuscula var. subintegra, H. asperiuscula var. patagiata, H. viscosa var. quaggaensis

Known localities:

• 43 km N. Laingsburg (3220DD)
• Basal slope Mt. (3224AB)
• Graaff-Reinet (3224AB)
• Tandjiesberg (3224BC)
• Matjiesfontein (3320BA)
• Laingsburg (3320BC)
• W. Ladismith (3321AC)
• Gamkapoort, Varsfontein (3321BC)
• Ockertskraal (3321CA)
• S. Ladismith (3321CA)
• S. Vanwyksdorp (3321CB)
• Calitzdorp (3321DA)
• Blackburn Valley, Calitzdorp (3321DA)
• Gamka Mt. Reserve (3312DA)
• W. Oudtshoorn (3321DB)
• Tierberg (3322AB)
• Klaarstroom (3322AB)
• Klaarstroom to Vondeling (3322BC)
• W. Vondeling (3322BD)
• Minwater (3322CA)
• Slypsteenberg (3323AB)
• Towerpoort (3323AC)
• Vondeling (3323AC)
• Between Klaarstroom and Traka River (3323AD)
• SE. Willowmore (3323AD)
• S. Georgida (3323AD)
• Redcliffe (3323BA)
• E. Willowmore (3323BA)
• De Hoop, Miller (3323BB)
• Miller (3323BB)
• NE. Willowmore (3323BB)
• Fullerton to Steytlerville (3323BD)
• Deugas (3323CA)
• S. Uniondale Road Stn. (3323CA)
• Campherspoort (3324AA)
• E. Steytlerville (3324AD)
• 19 km SE. Steytlerville (3324BC)
• Kleinpoort (3324BD)
• Couga to Zandvlakte (3324CA)
• Couga, Zewefontein (3324CB)
• Cambria to Sandvlakte (3324CB)
• Heimersrivier (3324CD)
• Quagga (3324DA)
• Cambria (3324DA)
• Mistkraal (3324DA)
• Ouplaas (3324DB)
• Ferndale (3324DB)
• Quagga to Cambria (3324CA)
• Prince Albert
• Redhouse
• Calitzdorp
• Kleynshoogte
• Gamka East
• S. Calitzdorp
• 3 km N. Koup Station (3321AB)
• near Willowmore (3323AD)
• Montagu (3320CC)
• E. Kouga Dam (3324CA)
• Grootrivier (3321CA)
• Kouga Dam (3324CA)
• near Sandvlakte farm (3324CA)
• 11 km N. Prince Albert (3322AA)
• hill NW. Swartkop (3320DA)
• Touws River (3320CB)
• Floriskraal Dam (3320BD)
• 15 km SE. Willowmore (3323AD)
• Baviaanskloof (3324CA)
• Nuwekloof (3323DA)
• 10 km W. Patensie (3324DD)
• 25 km NWN. Prince Albert to Kruidfontein (3322AA)
• Geelhoutbos (3324CA)
• 3 km SWW. Graaff-Reinet (3224BC)
• Rooiberg Pass (3321DA)
• Barandas Station (3323AC)
• E. Toorwater (3323AC)
• Moordenaarskaroo (3320BB)
• SW end of Waaipoort (3324AD)
• SW. Netly (3324AA)
• S. Volmoed (3321CA)
• above Paul Sauer Dam (3324DA)
• Sandpoort (3324BC)
• 26 km W. Patensie (3324DA)
• 3 km N. Komdomo (3324DA)
• Medenpoort (3324DA)
• 33 km from R57 turn off to Baviaanskloof (3323DA)
• Rooiklip (3323AD)
• Spandauville (3224BC)
• opposite Syferfontein (3321BB)
• Perdeberg (3322BA)
• Rondekop (3320BB)
• just N. Laingsburg (3320BB)
• Ratelfontein (3320DA)
• Andrieskraal (3324DA)
• N-side of Swartberg Pass (3323AD)
• Vondeling (3323AD)
• Damplaas (3323AC)
• Rietfontein (3322AC)
• Vrischgewagd (3321BD)
• Nashvale, W. Steytlerville (3324AC)
• Voorkloof (3323DA)
• W. Houtkloof (3323DA)
• Kasey, Baviaanskloof (3323BD)
• Toorwater (3323AC)
• Kleinplaas (3324DA)
• 2 km S. Cambria (3324DA)
• 20 km N. Laingsburg (3320BB)
• 3 km NNE. Kouga Dam (3324DA)
• 3 km W. Mara (3324AA)
• W. Hillside, SW. Tretyre (3324DA)
• Kammanassie (3222CB)
• Middelplaas
• N. Knoetze, Waaikraal (3323BB)
• Steildrift (3322CA)
• Kareerivier (3322BD)
• Beweras (3322CC)
• Rooiwal, Naroega Poort (3323BB)
• Sandpoort East (3324BC)
• Kleinberg, NW. Calitzdorp (3321DA)
• Scholtzkloof rivier (3322AC)
• W. Vrischgewaagd (3321BD) 
• Kouenek (3324CA)
• N of Graskop (3324CA)
• Groot Kommandokloof (3324CA)
• NE of Bosrug, Baviaanskloof (3324CA)
• Rus-en-Vrede Kloof (3324CA) 
• Adamskraal (3323BC)
• Arrievlakte (3321CD)
• Grootrivier Poort (3324DA)
• Hadley (3324DA)
• just S. Steytlerville (3324AD)
• Klokkies (3321DA)
• Rietvally (3321DA)
• Wilgefontein (3324CB)