Haworthia mirabilis var. calcarea

Haworthia mirabilis var. calcarea, De Hoop

 

Haworthia mirabilis var. calcarea M.B.Bayer

calcarea: pertaining to lime. 

H. mirabilis var. calcarea is species with shorter erect leaves with retused end areas. It is nice compact and proliferous and easily forms large clusters. It tends to have yellow-reddish colour when exposed, but more often they grows hidden amongst bushes and other vegetation and they remains green. It was discovered by C. Burgers. Recently it was recombined by Bayer to rossouwii group, which isn't fortunate solution, I think leaving it under its previous status makes much more sense. 

Map of distribution

H. mirabilis var. calcarea is known only from De Hoop nature reserve. It occurs on limestone on low laying areas. In habitat it grows with nice compact form of Gasteria verrucosa. Nearby, at Potberg area, grows many other Haworthia species - H. mirabilis 'jolenae', 'bobii', maraisii, modesta, minima or variegata var. hemicrypta. In cultivation it is very easy species, propagation is usually done by offsetts.

Haworthia mirabilis var. calcarea, De Hoop

Haworthia mirabilis var. calcarea, De Hoop

Locality of H. mirabilis var. calcarea, De Hoop

Synonym: 

H. rossouwii var. calcarea 

Known locality:

• De Hoop (3420AD)