Haworthiopsis tessellata

Haworthiopsis tessellata
At the botanical garden of Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini, Genova Pegli
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asphodelaceae
Subfamily:	Asphodeloideae
Tribe:	Aloeae
Genus:	Haworthiopsis
Species:	H. tessellata
Binomial name
Haworthiopsis tessellata (Haw.) G.D.Rowley [1]
Synonyms [1]
Haworthia tessellataHaw. Aloe tessellata(Haw.) Schult. & Schult.f. Catevala tessellata(Haw.) Kuntze Haworthia venosa subsp. tessellata(Haw.) M.B.Bayer Haworthia venosa var. tessellata(Haw.) Halda

Haworthiopsis tessellata, formerly Haworthia tessellata, is a species of the genus Haworthiopsis belonging to the family Asphodelaceae. It has been considered a subspecies of its close relative, Haworthiopsis venosa .

Etymology

The genus name Haworthiopsis means "like Haworthia", which honors the British botanist Adrian Hardy Haworth (1767–1833), while the species Latin epithet tessellata means "square-patterned".

Description

Haworthiopsis tessellata is a succulent evergreen slow-growing species reaching a size of 15 cm in height. It is a stemless plant, with square patterned leaves on the upper surfaces and small teeth along the margins. The leaves are greenish, form a rosette and turn to reddish in full sun. The flowers are white and small, in an inflorescence.

It is extremely closely related to Haworthiopsis granulata (restricted to the far south-west of its range near Laingsburg) and to Haworthiopsis venosa (a species restricted to a spot on the south coast of South Africa).

Distribution and habitat

This widespread species can be found in the arid hinterland of South Africa. Its habitat is the dry, summer-rainfall Karoo, where it grows within bushes and in rocky areas. It occurs as far north as southern Namibia.

References

1. "Haworthiopsis tessellata", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families , Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , retrieved 2017-10-17

Bibliography

• Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. Welman, E. Reitief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. v. Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
• Natl. Cact. Succ. J. 32: 18 (1977).

External links

• Haworthia-gasteria
• Myfolia