Gasteria

Gasteria is a genus of stemless or short-stemmed, succulent perennials in the Asphodelaceae or aloe family. They grow solitary or proliferate from the base, some decumbent, others erect, rarely pendulous. The plants reach heights from 15 cm to 1 m when flowering.

The succulent leaves are in two opposite, vertical arrays when young (distichous), but some spiral or form rosettes when mature. The leaf-shape may be like a strap, lance, sword blade or triangular. The leaves may spread erectly or recurve strongly with angled or rounded margins. Leaf surfaces are smooth or wrinkled, covered in white or green tubercles, which may become continuous ridges on the untoothed margins, or white surface bands. Leaf-tips may be acutely pointed, rounded or notched.

The inflorescence is a loosely flowered raceme or panicle, erect or spreading with bracts present. The tubular flowers are usually bulbous or inflated at the base and curving at the tip in a shape that resembles a stomach. The tips of the perianths are free but become fused above once wilted. Perianths are often three-coloured, reddish pink and green with yellow or white tips, otherwise pink all over with a little yellow.

The six stamens are included or barely exserted. The filaments are white, thread-like and slightly flattened. The ovary is oblong to ovate with many ovules, the style thread-like and the stigma minute. The style may become exserted late in flowering, exceeding the anthers.

The erect fruit capsule is cylindrical to oblong or ovoid, initially green and woody when dry. The seeds are dark brown or black, laterally compressed, angled and winged.

There are about 29 Gasteria species, all occurring in southern Africa. Many gasterias feature in horticulture, the hardy plants popularly grown in containers and because a plant can be propagated from a single leaf.

The plant in picture is G. bicolor (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Wikipedia).