Gasteria bicolor
G. bicolor var. bicolor Couga area
Section Gasteria, Series Gasteria
Gasteria bicolor is very variable in shape and size, but it has some distinghuishing features:
it has the typical small belly shaped flowers, pink with a green tip
leaves are usually smooth and shiny with an assymetrical tip which can be very sharp.
White dots merge into transverse white bands that can overrule the green backgroundwhen older it develops a stem so plants can grow quite large
Plants near the Coega area coast spiral from an early age on. They form large groups.
Plant shape
There are spiralling and distichous forms. Young plants usually start out distichous and start turning after a few years, but other forms remain distichous.
Leaves rather narrow (2-3cm) , smooth and shiny with a sharp tip that seems assymetrically placed. White spots often elongate and merge into broad white bands.
Can be confused with G. brachyphylla who is always distichous and has broader leaves. G. brachyphylla does not develop a stem. Large forms can be confused with G. excelsa and merge into this species.
G. bicolor produces offshoots , sometimes forming a large clump.
Flowers
Flowers on an often branched peduncle 20-80cm tall. Flowers small 1-2cm with a very distinct belly. Colour usually pale pink with a green tip.
They are edible and taste of fresh peas.
Variability
Because of its variability some variaties have been split of into new species, e.g. G. dooreeniae.
plant Francky Velle
G. bicolor var. lilliputana
Is a very small form with leaves less than 10cm long and max 1cm wide. It has extremely sharp leaf tips. It proliferates from the base forming a dense clump.
It occurs N of Grahamstown (Ecca pass).
It is quite popular amongst succulent lovers
G. bicolor var. fallax
Differs from the type by its long, very narrow leaves (20cm x 1cm) that have a mottled character.
Where
G. bicolor grows widespread in the Eastern Cape from Janssenville in the west to Pearston in the North to Grahamstown and the coastal area east of Port Elisabeth.
See the distribution map.
More pics
very large form intermediate with G. excelsa.
Ex seed haworthia society.
Plant Cok Grootscholten
distichous form , GA358, DMC 13727, near Darlington lake lodge
Large distichous form from Somerset East. Photo Cok Grootscholten, CG75.3
G. bicolor var. bicolor, GA441, CG355.1, Resolution Farm near Grahamstown
leaf tip showing the assymetrical sharp point and the shiny leaf surface
G. bicolor var. bicolor, GA450, CG298.1, Committees Drift
G. bicolor var. bicolor, inflorescence south of Grahamstown
© Photo by Tony Roberts
G. bicolor var. fallax has leaves almost like grass
ITD6946