Haworthia bayeri jadea

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea' H.Hayashi

jadea: jade-green colouration

Haworthia jadea is a small form of Haworthia bayeri, with light jade-green colour leaves where normal bayerii has dark bluish grey-green colour. It is smaller with rosette up to 5-6 cm. It is flowering 3 months later then typical form of bayeri. The flower stem is less robust and more delicate then in bayeri. It grows high up on the hills only 4-5 km away from area where Haworthia picta var. janvlokii was found. Typical form of bayeri are growing in the same area to the North, West and South East. It co-occurs with Haworthiopsis scabra.

Distribution map

This plant was discovered by Gerhard Marx near Kammanassie Dam, S of Dysseldorp. He was looking for the mysterious large glossy form of picta that Jan Vlok has found, which was later described by I. Breuer as picta var. janvlokii. The close proximity of these two different elements led to description of Haworthia bayeri by Hammer and Venter. 

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea' hasn´t got any special requirments in cultivation and in recent years it is more common in nurseries and in collections. Propagation must be done by seed.

Known localities:

• Paardeberg (3322CB)    

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia bayeri 'jadea', Paardeberg NEW PHOTO

Haworthia vlokii

Haworthia vlokii, Meiringspoort

Haworthia vlokii M.B.Bayer

vlokii: in honour of Jan vlok

H. vlokii is small, dark green proliferous species. It usually has small white dots and well teethed leave margins. The flower resembles H. monticola which occurs further East at Uniondale - Willowmore area. Other connection could be H. marumiana var. viridis from Prince Albert to the West.  

Distribution map

H. vlokii is known from higher altitudes of Swartberg Mountains at Meiringspoort and on Northern slopes towards Swartberg Pass. The type collection was from high up in the mountain near the waterfall. There used to be a small population on huge rock that seemd to fell down and bring down some of the plants - but this population seems to be gone. We were lucky to see on the lower slopes not far away from the waterfall. It can grows with  H. scabra at the poort itself, nearby to the South is growing H. arachnoidea var. setata and H. bayeri and to the North is  H. decipiens growing on the lower N slopes. It is quite common in cultivation, doesn´t need any special conditions and propagation is very easy from offsetts.

Known localities:

• E. Meiringspoort (3322BC)
• Meiringspoort, fallen rock (3322BC)
• Waterval, Meiringspoort (3322BC)
• E. Prince Albert (3322AC)

Haworthia vlokii, Meiringspoort

Haworthia vlokii, Meiringspoort

Haworthia vlokii, Meiringspoort

Haworthia vlokii, Meiringspoort

Locality of H. vlokii, Meiringspoort

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida M.B.Bayer

flaccida: weak, soft.

H. herbacea var. flaccida is smaller, more delicate variety of herbacea. It forms huge clusters of of tiny, dark green rosettes, with much smaller teeths on margins, leaves are slightly translucent. Flower is similar to both herbacea and pubescens, flowering time is closer to pubescens.

H. herbacea var. flaccida is known only from Rooiberg massive, between Worcester and Robertson. Bruce Bayer refers it grows high up in steep Northern slopes, but I saw it on Southern slopes, where Northern slopes where without any succulent vegetation at all. Bayer also wrote it co-occurs with H. maraisii and H. reticulata - none of them where seen in close proximity at the locality I visited. 

In cultivation it is quite common, plants were propagated at Sheilam nursery and spreaded around. It needs a bit more shadier position in collections and propagation is very easy by offsetts.

Known localities:

• Rooiberg (3319CD)

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Rooiberg area

Locality of H. herbacea var. flaccida, Rooiberg

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis'

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis' I.Breuer

vernalis: early Spring flowering

H. vernalis is smaller, 4-5cm in diameter, very dark green plant. In nature they grow very often withdrawn  in the soil. It flowers early in the Spring as one of the first retusoid species and almost half a year before all magnifica. In cultivation they can grow quite large, 7-10cm and slowly offsets. It is a very interesting element from the Riversdale area which can be both related to magnica or retusa. The colour and shape of the rosette resembles magnifca, but the size and flowering time is much more retusa like.

Distribution map

H. vernalis is known from N of Riversdale, it occurs on farm Kruisrivier and later it has been discovered by M.B.Bayer on the few more localities nearby. It co-occurs with T. minima and H. floribunda. Bayer in his later articles suggested that this is the link between magnifica and retusa, and that's why they are all one species - mirabilis. I´m not sure if vernalis is 'good enough' species, but for sure the name describes interesting form and that's why it useful to use it for this purpose.

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

H. vernalis can be found in cultivation under JDV92-65 as 'dark retusa'. It grows without any problems, propagation can be done by seed or cuttings.

Known localities:

• Kruisrivier (3421AB)
• Wegwyserivier (3421AB)

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Haworthia retusa 'vernalis', Kruisrivier

Typical situation, where H. retusa 'vernalis' can occur

Haworthia maculata/pubescens

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens

It is a smaller plant, 3-4 cm in diameter, which remains usually solitairy or slowly offsetts. The colour is usually dark green, leaves with some translucent areas or dots, leave margins can be toothed. This interesting element is growing virtualy in between of maculata and pubescens. To make it more complicated, livida is growing also nearby and shouldn´t be overlooked.

They grow at Dewetseberge near Brandvlei Dam and at least two different populations are know sofar. Some clones may resemble maculata, were others are just looking like livida or can be even dark with few small hairs on leaves, which is a sign of pubescens.

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge

This element was introduced by M.B.Bayer´s records through Sheilam nursery. If they are grown properly, they can be really attractive. Propagation needs to be done by seeds or cuttings.

Known localities:

• Dewetseberge (3319CB)
• N. Dewetseberge (3319CB)

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge

Haworthia maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge

Locality of H. maculata/pubescens, N. Dewetsberge