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| Haworthia vincentii habitat. | Haworthia vincentii A solitary plant amongst fynbos vegetation. | Haworthia vincentii Clump forming is quite common in old plants. |
| Haworthia vincentii Select and click for a larger image. |
| Distribution: | Africa: South Africa: Western Cape: |
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Haworthia vincentii is found on a mountain slope east of Albertinia. The population is very small, comprising perhaps 30 plants or so and scattered over a few square meters. The general appearance of the plants suggests that their origin is somewhat similar to that of Haworthia esterhuizenii with an added influence of H turgida. The plants grow only a few kilometers east of Haworthia esterhuizenii and although they are well established with not too much variation they (like many other Haworthias ?) could be of hybrid origin. Haworthia vincentii lacks the purplish colouration of H esterhuizenii. The leaves are mostly semi-retuse, often with a slight twist. There are translucent dots on the lower leaf surface which are nor shared by Haworthia turgida but also occur in Haworthia esterhuizenii, Haworthia wimii and some others. The plants are readily distinguished from other Haworthia. This species provides an example of the difficulties that are encountered when taxonimists try and force plants into taxa for the sake of limiting the number of species (or varieties or subspecies for that matter). In the case of one specific author, I think Haworthia vincentii started off as a form of Haworthia magnifica var splendens. Then it moved almost into oblivion by being "just a turgida", then got a ressurected status as Haworthia pygmaea var. vincentii, while now (latest?) it is being sunk under Haworthia pygmaea var. esterhuizenii. This is possibly subject to further changes. E.g: Haworthia turgida has recently been demoted to a variety of Haworthia retusa. If lumping is the aim than this is possibly for good reasons. If one however observes the turgida-like populations of Haworthia acuminata near Johnson's Post, there could be a good reason to include Haworthia acuminata under Haworthia turgida (thus Haworthia retusa). Further west (e.g. Groot Brak River) the populations of Haworthia pygmaea are rather similar to small versions of Haworthia retusa.There is thus possibly no good reason to uphold Haworthia pygmaea as a good species either in this system and it should eventually be swallowed up by the advancing Haworthia retusa. And after that... For practical reasons this website upholds Haworthia vincentii as a unique species. Haworthia vincentii is not difficult to cultivate, but is very slow growing from seed. |
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| Haworthia vincentii habitat. | Haworthia vincentii A solitary plant amongst fynbos vegetation. | Haworthia vincentii Clump forming is quite common in old plants. |
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