Herewith illustrated photographs from colonel Charles L Scott who originally described the species.
The plants belong to the group Blackbeardiana. The latter is a group of related species that are found over a wide area in the Eastern Cape Province. One can use the name Haworthia blackbeardiana for the group or one can attempt to compartmentalize the differences into unique species. I prefer the latter as it makes communication much easier. There will of course always be the in between forms to throw a spanner in the works, but so be it.
Colonel Scott based the uniqueness in this case on the larger size of the plants, the strong teeth on the margins and keel; the leaves that have permanently raised face and back lines, which appear as ridges, to mention a few. He also mentions some affinity with Haworthia cooperi.
I shall regard the related plants around Cradock as H batteniae until more knowledge convinces me otherwise.
Photographs: Scott, C.L. 1985, The genus Haworthia, Johannesburg: Aloe Books, pp108 - 109
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