All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Haworthia decipiens var. minor

Haworthia decipiens var. minor, N of Kampherspoort

Haworthia decipiens var. minor M.B.Bayer

minor: smaller.

H. decipiens var. minor is a small, slowly offsetting variety of H. decipiens. It differs mainly in size and in leave shape. They can be much thinner and incurved. with very sparse or even without any spines on keels and margin. The colour is much lighter green.

Var. minor grows from Kampherspoort in the West up to the Sapkamma in the East. Bayer described H. gracilis var. viridis, which is very closely related to this variety and I agree with I.Breuer to keep them together under this name. They share the distribution area as well. In Baviaanskloof area grows forms on intermediates between decipiens var. minor (possibly) and H. mucronata, this will be discussed under article H. studis. Around Kirkwood var. minor connected to H. aristata, which grows just over the mountains and some interesting "in-between" form has been found near Osberg. At Kampherspoort (and Klipplaat area) it is connected to H. jansenvillensis, which grows from Klipplaat to the North.

Distribution map

I. Breuer and M.Hayashi described H.azurea, which are plants from Sapkamma - Grootpoort area. They have soft spines on margins and the colour, specially from Sapkamma plants are more bluish with translucent leave tips. I include them under H. decipiens var. minor although they could be separated.

H. decipiens var. minor is not difficult species to grow and some of the forms are very attractive. Propagation can be done by offsetts or seeds.