Haworthia globosiflora G.G. Smith. Mini article by Gerhard Marx.
Haworthia globosiflora was considered for several years to be restricted to the type locality area near the Doorn River bridge on the farm Doornbosch south of the Botterkloof . It is currently known to occur in a few localities to the north and a particularly attractive form of it grows on the farm Nuweplaas north-west of Nieuwoudtville. A somewhat distinct variety of it is found to the south-east in the Ouberg Pass near Sutherland (= Haworthia latericia Hayashi).
The plants are often associated in literature with Haworthia nortieri and it has even been suggested to be a variety of it. These associations are incorrect and only based upon very superficial observations influenced by the somewhat similar appearance of the plants in the wild and geographical proximity. Haworthia globosifora is distinguished by having very short and thick floret tubes. This feature is also characteristically shared by close relatives Haworthia pehlemanniae, Haworthia albispina and Haworthia devriesii but is not found in the Haworthia nortieri group.
Haworthia globosiflora is not easy to maintain in cultivation and it is difficult to grow it as compact and attractive as plants are in the wild. The erect leaves can be very attractively patterned by numerous rounded raised pellucid windows and minute translucent teeth along the margins. It is a strict winter grower and needs very little moisture in summer, just enough to keep the roots from desiccating too much.
(The habitat photographs were supplied to me by Mr. Gerhard Marx who originally received them from Mr. M.B. Bayer.),
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