haworthia-acuminata

By some authors Haworthia acuminata is regarded as a form of Haworthia pygmaea. Type locality: At the type locality just south of the Gouritz River Haworthia acuminata grows mainly under shrub where the plants are single or can occaionally form fairly large clumbs. The plants are a darkish green and often have a matt smooth surface. The leaves have varying degrees of shiny dots on the surface. I am filing three forms from various localities of the Gouritz area. Unlike as is the case with Haworthia retusa and Haworthia geraldii etc. the different forms have not been given separate names.

Johnson's Post:

Mostly reprinted from old blogger. (The photographs from Johnson's Post were taken with and old Mavica camera).

This locality is only a few km to the north of the type locality of Haworthia acuminata near the Gouritz River. The plants are very similar to the plants at the type locality, the only notable difference is the colour of the leaves and the tendency for some plants to be semi-retuse. The plants from the type locality are a brownish green whereas the plants from Johnson's Post are light green.

The habitat is in two parts: A small population in dense brush on a little outcropping and a fairly large population on a relatively bare slope of a hill next to the outcropping. The plants at both areas are fairly similar but the habitat of the low outcropping corresponds more to the habitat of the type locality where the plants are hidden under the bushes and grow in pebbly soil. On the bare slope the plant sometimes are semi-retuse with a Haworthia turgida or Haworthia geraldii like appearance.

Vleesbaai:

The plants grow on a long ridge outside the town and are found in several places. In general the plants have a more shiny appearance as those of the type locality and the surface of the leaves is not smooth.


Johnson's Post - Plants on the bare slope.	Johnson's Post - Bare slope. The plants start to resemble Haworthia geraldii from Riversdale. If it was not for the many silvery dots on the leaves it could make a good case for lumpers to sink Haworthia acuminata and perhaps Haworthia pygmaea under Haworthia turgida or Haworthia retusa.	Johnson's Post - Bare slope.	Johnson's Post - Bare slope. This clone is similar to the type form except being light green with somewhat shiny leaf surface.


Haworthia acuminata at type locality.	Type locality.	Type locality.	Type locality- photographed during the hot summer months.


Johnson's Post - Habitat on the low outcropping.	Johnson's Post - Bare slope habitat.	Johnson's Post - Plants lower down on the low outcropping.	Johnson's Post - Plants on the bare slope.


Johnson's Post - Bare slope. Some semi-retuse plants hinting at Haworthia turgida.	Vleesbaai. The shiny and irregular leaf surface is typical here.	Vleesbaai.	Vleesbaai.