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Haworthia venteri - Buffelsdrif West of Ladismith

The whole H arachnoidea group is very confusing to say the least.

Although Haworthia venteri  probably belongs to this group, it is easily distinguished  from its relatives west of Ladismith. Haworthia venteri has a light green colour and the leaves often end in a narrow long point, but the two species do flower at similar times. I am happy to use the word 'often' as there maybe exceptions dodging the 'rule' , but at least there is that tendency. Haworthia scabrispina (a Ladismith and surrounds form of H arachnoidea), has a dark green colour and obvious spination.


West of Ladismith both H venteri and H scabrispina (arachnoidea)  occur but at different localities. Roughly alternating every couple of kilometers or so, at least when you follow the main road.


This in itself is quite interesting as Haworthia tend to grade one species or form into another over distance  (to use Col. Scott's expression) , but apparently this does not happen  in this case.


To sink Haworthia venteri as a form of Haworthia arachnoidea (Bayer) maybe a bit overdone. To regard it as a subspecies or variety of Haworthia arachnoidea maybe a better option, but only if you are sure of some genetic relationship between the two. How sure can you be ? I do not think this has been explored ?  I would rather leave them separate entities for now..

Habitat.

Some interesting discussion by Mr. M.B.Bayer on Haworthia mucronata where H venteri also is mentioned. Haworthia unicolor also pops up there. Those plants are somewhat similar to Haworthia venteri but occur more to the south. These can have spination or no spination.

M.B.Bayer on H mucronata.

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