The Gasteria Page

The majority of Old World succulent monocotyledons are grouped into the Aloaceae, a medium sized family of rosulate leaf succulents including Aloe, Astroloba, Bulbine, Chortolirion, Gasteria, Haworthia and Poellnitzia. The largest genus is Aloe with more than 400 species. The Aloaceae are distributed across southern Africa, Arabia, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. A few Bulbines are found in Australia.

This page focuses on the small genus of undemanding succulent plants, Gasteria.

Gasteria Duval (1809)
Name: Greek gaster = stomach, referring to the flower shape.

The 16 species of Gasteria are native to Southern Africa. Their succulent leaves range from an inch to over a foot in length. Leaves are produced in a linear array (distichous), but plants may become rosulate with age. The usually flattish leaves have a waxy surface, which may be attractively banded, furnished with white spots or warty. Leaves of the most fleshy species can be quite brittle. A few species have large triangular leaves. Leaf margins are smooth and may be acute or rounded, usually with an acute tip.

Gasterias are popular undemanding indoor succulent plants, tolerating a little shade and infrequent watering. However, some sun ensures a compact growth habit, attractive leaf colouration in some species and abundant flowers. It is a mistake to allow these attractive plants to languish under the staging. The racemes of decorative pink to red flowers produce a good show in the Spring and intermittently throughout the summer. The individual tubular flowers have a distinctive basal bulbosity. The exact shape varies between species and divides the plants into taxonomic groups. Gasteria flowers are edible, raw or cooked and a traditional component of stews.

Gasterias seem resistant to most pests, but may be treated prophylactically with systemic insecticides. Leaves are prone to unsightly black spots, which may be discouraged by avoiding humidity and condensation. The black spots will not spread and are the result of the plant sealing off damage or fungal infection with phenolic substances, which oxidise to a dark colour.

Single leaves or even a broken part, placed with the basal end touching damp compost will root and produce a whole plant. This takes time but can be useful to resurrect a damaged plant.

Click on the pictures below for a higher quality image.

Gasteria acinacifolia (J. Jacquin) Haworth 1819
The largest species in the genus, with light green triangular succulent leaves spotted in white. Young plants have a distichous arrangement of blunt-ended leaves. Mature plants have sharply pointed leaves forming a rosette. The flower spike is a 3ft multi-branched raceme of tubular pink flowers bearing longitudinal light and dark strips and with exserted yellow stamens.

Native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Gasteria baylissiana Rauh 1977
A medium-sized species whose dark green succulent leaves are covered in nearly confluent, white tubercles giving an overall greyish appearance.

Native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.


	*Gasteria bicolor* Haworth 1826 Two sub-species. *Gasteria bicolor var bicolor* van Jaarsveld & Ward-Hilhorst 1994 Syn. G. caespitosa von Poellnitz 1938 This variable species from the Eastern Cape includes numerous plants formerly regarded as separate species. The dark green succulent leaves (3 to 15 inches long) are covered with dense white spots arranged in transverse bands. Leaves grow in a single line at first, tending towards a rosette as more accumulate.
	*Gasteria bicolor var liliputiana* van Jarsveld 1992 Syn. G. liliputiana von Poellnitz 1938 This small form of G. bicolor is native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The succulent leaves are from less than an inch, up to 10 inches long and tend to form rosettes. Racemes of pale pink flowers striped in green at their tips, are produced freely in the Spring.

		*Gasteria brachyphylla var. brachyphylla* van Jaarsveld & Ward-Hilhorst 1994 This is quite a large, solid looking succulent plant with opposite fleshy, triangular leaves arranged in a single line (distichous). The smooth surfaces of the leaves are marked with many white spots, in bands or randomly distributed. Native to the Western Cape of South Africa.

*Gasteria carinata* Duval 1809 Five subspecies incorporating many plants that were formerly regarded as separate species.
			*Gasteria carinata var. carinata* van Jaarsveld & Ward-Hilhorst 1994 Syn. Gasteria parvifolia Baker 1880 This variable plant from the Western Cape includes numerous synonyms. The succulent leaves start out in a single line (distichous) becoming more rosulate with age. The leaves have a distinct keel and their surfaces are dotted with many tiny white tubercles.

Gasteria carinata var. verrucosa van Jaarsveld 1992

Another variable subspecies whose leaf surfaces are covered with many tiny white tubercles.


Above: *G. carinata var. verrucosa* van Jaarsveld 1992 Syn. G. verrucosa Duval 1809		Above: *G. carinata var. verrucosa* Syn. G. verrucosa var. latifolia Haworth 1821


		*Gasteria dicta* NE Brown 1876 An unresolved name for a succulent plant that appears in many collections. Very similar to G. disticha.

Gasteria disticha Haworth 1827 (Beestong = ox tongue)

This species from the Western Cape includes numerous synonyms that were once separate species.

Gasteria glomerata van Jaarsveld 1991
A compact succulent plant with an unspotted but slightly roughened grey-green leaf surface. Leaves grow in a single line (distichous) but the plant clumps up freely to make a mat.

Native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Gasteria multipunctata

This doesn't seem to be a valid name. May be of garden origin.

*Gasteria nitida var. nitida* van Jaarsveld & Ward-Hilhorst 1994 Syn. Gasteria obtusa Haworth 1827 The succulent leaves colour up pink in strong light, so the slightly variegated form on the right develops quite attractive pink and green leaves. However, it seems a little reluctant to flower, which should be in mid Summer. Native to the Eastern Cape.
G. nitida var. nitida	G. nitida var. nitida	G. obtusa

Gasteria pillansii Kensit 1909

Native to Namibia and the Northern Cape of South Africa.

Gasteria pseudonigricans Haworth 1827

This doesn't appear to be a vaild name despite this succulent plant appearing in many collections. Could be G. subnigricans which may in turn be a form of G. brachyphylla or just an attractive plant of garden origin.

Gasteria rawlinsonii Obermeyer 1976 (Cliff Gasteria, Kransbeestong)
Named for: Mr. I. Rawlinson, South African collector of succulent plants.
This succulent plant generally grows in a pendulous manner, but tends to sprawl if grown on a flat surface. The roots are fleshy. The narrow, linear succulent leaves are arranged in two rows (distichous) or may spiral. The leaves are green with faint white spots on their surface but may become reddened in strong light. Leaf margins may have a few small prickles.

Gasteria rawlinsonii is native to the Baviaanskloof mountains of the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where it grows hanging down sandstone cliffs.

	Literature
	Gasterias of South Africa: A New Revision of a Major Succulent Group by E.J. van Jaarsveld (1994) Publisher: Fernwood Press (Pty) Ltd., Vlaeberg, South Africa. ISBN: 1-874950-01-6 A beautifully illustrated classic that may be available secondhand.
	Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons Edited by Urs Eggli (2001) Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York. ISBN: 3540416927 Volume relevant to Gasteria from a series of comprehensive taxonomic treatments of succulent plants.

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The Gasteria Page

Literature