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G. ellaphieae has bright red flowers
Section Longiflorae, Series Multifariae
Gasteria ellaphieae is named after Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst, the botanical artist who illustrated the first Gasteria book.
It grows in rock crevices of cliffs in the Kouga dam area. It can be recognized by its sharply pointed, rough leaves. New leaves are rising whilst later on they curve slightly downwards. The leaves are covered in numerous tubercles and feels rough.
G. ellaphieae, GA031, Kouga dam, ex EA
Plant shape
Plant shape
G. ellaphieae forms a small rozette while the juveniles are distichous.
Leaves are triangular in shape with numerous tubercles. The leaves are recurved downwards and pointy. The rozette has a diameter of no more than 12cm, usually smaller.
G. ellaphieae may be confused with G. glauca which has very similar flowers, but its leaves are much more angular than in glauca and its inflorescence is almost always branched.
It may also be taken for a small G. barbae or batesiana, but remains small and the latter have very different flowers .
G. ellaphieae produces offshoots from the base. It is a slow grower.
G. ellaphieae flowers
Flowers
Flowers
The flowers are bright red with a white green tube, 2.5-3cm long. They are very similar to glauca and even nitida.
A really distinghuishing feature of G. ellaphieae is the fact that the inflorescence almost always branches, even in small plants. The branched panicle never exceeds about 45cm. The inflorescence of G. nitida also often branches but is usually much bigger.
Variability
Variability
G. ellaphieae does not have any described varieties or subspecies.
Where
Where
G. ellaphieae grows in rocky terrain around the Kouga dam in rock crevices in a shady position. The climate is subtropical.
See also the distribution map.
More pics
More pics
G. ellaphieae , GA057, EVJ95.28, from seed ex EVJ
G. ellaphieae , GA148, Kouga dam
G. ellaphieae , GA485, Kouga dam, showing the branched panicle on a young plant
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