Gasteria batesiana
G. batesiana var. batesiana Klipwal gold mine
Section Longiflorae, Series Longifoliae
Gasteria batesiana are really beautiful plants growing on shaded cliffs in northern KZN, Eswatini and Mpumalangha. They belong to the section Longiflorae and have indeed rather long , bent flowers.
Leaf of G. batesiana show its rough surface with many tubercles
Plant shape
G. batesiana always grows in a rozette. Juvenile shoots may be distichous, but not for long.
Leaves are elongated triangular in shape to linear in some forms. They have a sharp tip.
The leaf surface is rough and covered in tubercles, from heavy to sparse in some forms. Their base color varies from pale grey to reddish brown and green. This depends on the variety and the light conditions in which it grows.
By the flowers it could be confused with G. thukulensis and croucheri, but not by it's leaf surface.
It could also be confused with G. barbeae due to it's tubercles, but the latter has a very dense covering of tubercles, more than batesiana and the leave shape is much sharper with a very acute point.
G. batesiana produces offshoots
G. batesiana flower Klipwal gold mine
Flowers
Peduncle 20-60cm tall, often branched.
Flowers 3-4.5cm long with the typical bend and waist in the middle. Gasteriform part pink, tube yellowish to green, some vage darker green striations.
The var. dolomitica has smaller more red-orange flowers.
Variability
G. batesiana is rather variable because populations are isolated from each other over a rather big area. There are many forms who are named according their location, e.g. 'Klipwal Gold mine' a closed mining area SE of Piet Retief in northern Kwazulu Natal.
One described variety is the var. dolomitica which is the most northern Gasteria .
G. batesiana var. dolomitica. plant and photo Cok Grootscholten
G. batesiana var. dolomitica
Differs from the type by having elongated narrow leaves who have the tendency to recurve back towards the soil(rock). Their cross section is round rather than chanelled.
Flowers are also somewhat smaller, bright orange and more rounded.
This variety has the unique property to produce small plantlets wherever a leaf touches solid ground (or concrete).
It occurs on dolomite cliffs of side valleys of the Olifants river near Penge in Mpumalanga.
A more detailed map of the G. batesiana localities
Where
G. batesiana grows son several locations in the northern Kwazulu Natal, Swaziland and Mpumalanga . Most of these places follow a larger river system like the Pongolo river or a mountainous range along which locations are spread out, for instance the Ubombo range exte ding from Swaziland soutwards into KZN.
The exact locality of some wellknown plants is lost: that is the case with the 'Barberton' clones who were once found in the mountainous region that borders Mpumalanga and Eswatini. This is very difficult terrain, now almost completely prtotected in nature reserves. It may be some time, or never, before they are found again.
See also the distribution map.
More pics
G. batesiana var batesiana, from Paris dam (=Bivane dam). Plants form small neat rozettes with a dark green-bluish leaf background. Tints reddish when in sun.
G. batesiana var batesiana,
GA382, CG006, received as from Penge dam (could be Pongola dam?), ex Hardy. Another elongated leaf type
G. batesiana var dolomitica, in situ near Penge on dolomite rocks. In association with Orbea hardyi.
© Photo Sean Gyldenhuys?
G. batesiana var batesiana,
GA335, ABCN7560, Kew73-791
Old clone from Kew gardens, received as G. transvaalensis. Locality unknown. This resembles one of the elongated types from Mzindusi.
G. batesiana var. batesiana plants from Kubuyeni, Mzinduzi River have almost linear leaves. GA258
Plantlet on small wound on G. batesiana var dolomitica. It will develop roots, but then will not grow any further if still in the air. If it touches ground, it takes off.
G. batesiana var batesiana, from Pongolapoort. Leaves are broad and thin. Base colour grass green to olive green.
G. batesiana var. batesiana plants from Mbuluzi in Eswatini show a natural kind of variegation. GA367
G. batesiana var batesiana,
GA114, from Barberton. This is the clone that goes quite purplish dark in stress and is now sold as 'Black beauty'. Don't forget there are several others...
G. batesiana var. batesiana plants from Pongola Poort dam have broad flat leaves. The leaf base colour is grass to olive green. GA107
G. batesiana var. batesiana plant from the White Umfolozi river in KZN. Amongst the largest of batesiana. GA257
G. batesiana var. batesiana plants from Sifula have short, fat, triangular leaves. GA255