Gasteria acinacifolia

G. acinacifolia Port Elisabeth coast

Section Longiflorae, Series Longifoliae

Gasteria acinacifolia is one of the biggest Gasteria and grows exclusively along the coast of the Eastern Cape. It really grows only on a narrow strip close to the sea often in full sun on the dunes or in coastal bushes.

In this oceanic climate it receives rain throughout the year and air humidity is high (sea spray).

It has clear dimorphism between juvenile and adult plants.

adult G. acinacifolia show its smooth surface with many paler transverse bands

Plant shape

G. acinacifolia grows into a very large rozette. Juveniles plants are distichous with many tubercles on the leaf surface. Juvenile leaves up to 25cm long.

Adult leaves are elongated triangular in shape up to 75cm in lenght and 20cm broad at the base en deeply channelled. They have a tendency to curve like a banana.

The adult leaf surface is smooth and green in base colour with many spots that merge into transverse bands of paler areas.

An adult plant can easily be confused with G. excelsa - another large plant, but the latter usually have straight leaves, with a very sharp tip and serrated leaf edges (teeth). Once its flowers it can no longer be confused with excelsa hwo has small flowers.

G. acinacifolia produces offshoots from the base.

G. acinacifolia has a flat-topped inflorescens

Flowers

Flowerstalk horizontally branching forming a flat-topped inflorescens.

Flowers large, 3-5cm, orange-red with a yellow-green mouth and the typical bend and waist in the middle. Pollinated by sunbirds.

Variability

G. acinacifolia does not have any described varieties or subspecies.

Where

G. acinacifolia ocurs all along the coast from Knysna in the west to East London in the East. It grows as well on dunes close by the sea as on cliffs shaded by coastal bushes.

More pics

G. acinacifolia near the sea south of Port elisabeth . Plants tints reddish in full sun.

G. acinacifolia near the sea south of Port elisabeth .