Scientific Name
Gasteria baylissiana Rauh
Common Name(s)
Lawyer's Tongue, Suurberg Gasteria, Suurberg Ox-tongue
Scientific Classification
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Tribe: Aloeae
Genus: Gasteria
Etymology
The specific epithet "baylissiana" (pronounced "bay-liss-ee-AH-na") honors Roy Duglas Bayliss (1909-1994), a British military officer, businessman, and collector of plants in southern and central Africa.
Origin
Gasteria baylissiana is native to South Africa. It is known only from a single farm at the top of the Suurberg range in the Eastern Cape province, growing on quartzitic sandstone.
Description
Gasteria baylissiana is a dwarf, slow-growing succulent with leaves that grow in two opposite, vertical rows, forming a fan shape. It can grow up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) tall and produces numerous offsets from the base, forming small, dense clumps over time. The leaves are thick, fleshy, and tongue-shaped, measuring up to 2.2 inches (5.5 cm) long and 9 inches (2.3 cm) wide. They are gray-green and densely covered with white cartilaginous tubercles. The plants vary in leaf size and tubercle density.
In sprierect,ctly spreading, usually unbranched stalks arise and bear 15 to 25 flowers with red-pink gasterifportionstion, whtubestube with green striations, and greenish-whapicesapex with dark green median striations. The flower stalks can grow up to 14 inches (35 cm) long.
How to Grow and Care for Gasteria baylissiana
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30°F (-1.1°C) to 50°F (10°C).
These plants are often grouped with Haworthias because they have similar cultural requirements. Both are attractive, small succulents that tolerate somewhat more shade than many, making them more suitable as houseplants.
Gasterias are susceptible to fungal infections, which usually appear as black spots on the leaves. These result from too much humidity or water on the leaves, but they should not spread too quickly. They have a natural defense mechanism against such fungal attacks: attack the invading organism and seal off the wounded spot. Generally, any place where Haworthia and Aloe thrive will be hospitable to a Gasteria.
These succulents are small, shallow-rooted, and relatively slow-growing. Therefore, they are often grown in small clusters in wide, shallow dishes. Over time, clusters will naturally enlarge as the mother plant sends off small plantlets.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Gasteria.
Links
- Back to genus Gasteria
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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