Gasteria croucheri in Kirstenbosch

This Gasteria croucheri plant, photographed in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden during March, has a dark green leaf colour, purple-tinged near the tips. The leaves have concave upper surfaces, while only some are sickle-shaped, curving sideways. The white leaf spots are conspicuous here, occurring in irregular clusters. The leaf tips on this specimen are rounded; pointed ones also found on this species.

The pendulous flowers of G. croucheri grow in many-flowered racemes of branched panicles that become about 40 cm long. These panicles are often borne at angles or curving, even horizontally, while young and stressed plants may only manage a single raceme.

The flowers of G. croucheri are pinkish to orange red at the base and cream with green lines reaching the perianth tips. The stomach-shape of the corolla is typical of Gasteria, albeit long and slender in this species, like the stomachs of starved people.

Flowering begins in late spring and lasts through summer (Smith and Crouch, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).