you: Haworthia truncata

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Haworthia truncata

H. truncata, near Dysseldorp

Haworthia truncata Schoenland

truncata: ending abruptly and square.

H. truncata is a stemless, slowly proliferous species with leaves abruptly truncated and arranged distichously. In nature it grows burried in the ground, just leave tips are visible. In cultivation it tends to grow above the soil. This unusual leaf form and arrangement earned to this succulent the colloquial name in afrikaans "perderande" = horse teeth.

Distribution map

H. truncata grows from Calitzdorp in the West up to De Rust in the East. Some places were almost destroyed by over collecting, agriculture activities (ostriches) or some housing projects, but luckilly it is still common on many other localities. Near Van Wykskraal is growing nature hybrid with H. arachnoidea. And S. Calitzdorp, where H. maughanii occurs, grow some intermediate forms with distichous leaves arrangement and roundish leave tips. This form was described by Poellnitz as H. truncatai forma crassa. I will publish a separed article about it later. Near Kammanassie Dam is growing miniature form with hairy leave ends, this was described as H. truncata var. minor (H. pappilaris now) by Breuer - again I will publish separed article about this interesting form.

H. truncata is very widespread in cultivation, you can find it in nearly every collection. It is also very favourite plant for Japanase to grow hybrids and cultivars. It is an easy species, which can be propagated by seed, offsetts, leave or root cuttings.