Gasteria baylissiana
G. baylissiana is a dwarf Gasteria
Section Gasteria, Series Gasteria
Gasteria baylissiana is a dwarf plant which grows in the Suurberg mountains. If an image should be chosen of the typical Gasteria flowers, this is candidate nr one, with the cutest flowers of all species.
It is very pretty plant, covered in white tubercles on which the bright red inflorescense is the crown.
Because it grows at an altitude of around 800m, it is adapted to mountain temperatures and is very resistant to cold.
it also prefers a rather stony ground mix.
G. baylissiana GA293
Plant shape
G. baylissiana remains distichous throughout it's life.
Leaves are strap shaped and short, about 2-6cm long. Tips may be round or slightly tapered. The leaf has a dark blue green colour as base and is entirely covered with small, but prominent white tubercles.
A larger variety with leaves up to 20cm has been collected.
G. baylissiana can be confused with G. glomerata because of it's small size ans imilar flowers, but he latter doesn't have any tubercles but rather an asperulous leaf surface.
G. baylissiana a produces numerous offshoots from the base and forms clusters
G. baylissiana flower, GA389
Flowers
The flowerstalk is unbranched and max 35cm tall. The top half of the stem is also bright red while the underside is darker.
The flowers are probably the smallest of all species, just about1.5cm long with a very round gasteriform portion, bright red; while the tube is white with green striations.
Variability
G. baylissiana does not have any described varieties or subspecies. But there is some variability in plants, notably the long-leaved version found(?) by Bruce Bayer.
Where
G. baylissiana grows on top the Suurberg range and originally was found on the property of just one farm, namely Oudekraal. Since a couple of years this farm has been incorporated into the Addo elephant nature reserve and is therefore protected.
Plants grow in crevices in the quartzite rocks, hidden from direct sun, the worst weather and predators. The soil is acidic, very well drained and contains a fair amount of organic material.
See also the distribution map.
More pics
LTR: G. baylissiana , glomerata, bicolor var. lilliputana, bicolor, brachyphylla
G. baylissiana ,farm Oudekraal, CCO169, GA339
G. baylissiana , the long leaved form compared with a normal clone.
Show plants at the Haworthia convention 2022
GA135, hybrid glomerata x baylissiana.
a very floriferous plant