Gasteria barbae
G. barbae is stunning plant
Section Longiflorae, Series Longifoliae
Gasteria barbae is a fairly recent discovery and sofar not common in collections.
It is a another cliff dwelling species from the Knysna area in the Western Cape. It grows on steep coastal cliffs near the sea.
G. barbae leaves are covered in tubercles
Plant shape
G. barbae is stemless and forms a rozette which doesn't become much bigger than 20-25cm. Juveniles are distichous at first.
It's leaves are sharply elongated triangular, with an acute tip. The leaves are covered in numerous white tubercles which forms transverse bands. The base leaf colour is green.
The leaf margins also have sharp white teeth near the top.
G. barbae could be confused with G. batesiana but the flowers are different and the leaves rise up whilst those of batesiana recurve back to form a flat rozette.
In my opinion a young G. barbae could also be confused with an adult G. ellaphiae because of the 'sharpness' of the leaves, but G.barbae becomes much bigger and the flowers would be completely different.
G. rawlinsonii flower
Flowers
The inflorescence is unbranched and up to 30cm long.
The flowers are large, 3.5-4cm long, with an orange-pink gasteriform part and a white-yellow tube with green striations.
The usual restriction in the middle of the flower is somewhat less pronounced than with other species of the Section Longiflorae, series Longifoliae
Variability
G. barbae doesn't have any described varieties or subspecies.
Where
G. barbae occurs in the coastal region between Knysna and Plettenberg bay alwys on coastal cliffs facing north or north-west.
See also the distribution map.
More pics
G. barbae , EVJ 25245, CG538,2
G. ellaphiae, a possible confusion