Gasteria bicolor

Gasteria bicolor
Gasteria bicolor in cultivation ("liliputana" variety)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Xanthorrhoeaceae
Subfamily:	Asphodeloideae
Genus:	Gasteria
Species:	G. bicolor
Binomial name
Gasteria bicolor (L.) Haw.

Gasteria bicolor (previously named Gasteria obliqua or Gasteria maculata) is succulent plant native to the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Description

Gasteria bicolor flowers.

Gasteria bicolor var. bicolor

This is a small, but very variable species of Gasteria, that is common in cultivation. It grows multiple proliferous stems, all covered in untidy masses of the shiny, mottled, colourful, succulent leaves. It usually forms rosettes, but can sometimes be distichous, especially in cultivation. The leaves can also occasionally develop a keel. Each leaf has a sharp point on the tip.

The flowers generally appear on a long stem of about 30 cm, that carries tubular bell-shaped pink to orange flowers.^[1][2]

There are two major varieties:

• Gasteria bicolor var. bicolor (Haw.) The more widespread type variety.
• Gasteria bicolor var. liliputana (Poelln.) Previously classed as the species "Gasteria liliputana". The smallest variety in the entire Gasteria genus, the rosettes are around 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide. The foliage is dark green with white spots. It is relatively rare and occurs in the Grahamstown area.^[3][4][5]

Distribution

It naturally occurs over a wide area of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In its natural habitat, it is typically found on rocky slopes and outcrops in the thicket vegetation of the region. Its natural range overlaps with several other species of Gasteria.^[6]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gasteria obliqua.

References