Bruce Bayer’s Haworthia Updates 2 & 3 have been long expected and long in print. Too long in fact, but with the benefit that some of the newest findings and literature can now be covered. Bruce has continued, and still continues, with his field research, which never ceases to bring to light new information about haworthias. Since Haworthia Revisited, he has added nearly 1000 new population records and taken innumerable photographs. Over 1000 photographs are published in Updates 2 & 3 which, in themselves, form an informative record of the variability of haworthias and demonstrate the fundamental problem of classifying haworthias. The photographs are referenced to location and topography. They record information which far exceeds that of practical herbarium records, consequently they will be of value, and indeed essential, to anyone engaging in the taxonomy of the genus at whatever level, and especially to the aficionado, grower and collector. Some pictures are substandard for a coffee-table presentation, but these are far in the minority. They have been retained as the images still convey useful, broad information and it is not possible, for a variety of reasons, to retake them.
The two volumes include 33 essays, 1 to 18 in Vol.2 and 1 to 15 in Vol. 3. The chapters are often independent, consequently the very large number of illustrations and maps are numbered sequentially from 1 for each chapter. Many photographs have the same name. What is distinctive for each photograph is the collection number and the location details. Some of the chapters have been published previously elsewhere but, because of the unfortunate fragmentation of the literature, Bruce would like them presented in a single comprehensive publication to make them all more accessible and contextually meaningful. Often there are addenda to these chapters to present additional argumentation and explanation and corrections have been made to compensate for errors in the original printings. There is emphasis on taxonomy as a means to understanding and knowing plants – as opposed to the general view that taxonomy is petty argumentation about names.
Bruce has included relevant references for articles he has commented upon, which some people might wish to consult. Some are not readily available to the general public or are available only though arrangement with libraries. However, as the policy of Alsterworthia International is to promote and facilitate without favour the publication of information about the genera of the Alooideae (Asphodelaceae), a number of these articles can also be consulted in Alsterworthia International publications. They have been reprinted with permission. Alsterworthia International also has a number of the books for sale. Details will be found on pages ii & ii at the back of this book. As editor of Haworthiad from 1995 to 2001 and of Alsterworthia International from 2001 I have had the privilege of printing articles in both journals from a number of authors including Bruce. It is now an honour and a delight to publish Bruce Bayer’s revised Updates 2 & 3. They provide a wealth of information, which he has collected during time-consuming field research over several decades. Few, if any, can equal his field work. The detailed information he has collected about haworthias is now available for all to consult and use, though if the past is any guide to the future, interpretations about the classification of haworthias may still be subject to some divergence. Finally, I would like to express my thanks to Bruce Bayer for checking the first proof and to Steven Hammer for the final check. Any residual errors may be attributed to me.
Habitat at Buitenstekloof7995 Habitat looking northwardsKG36-70 habitat viewed from the west.View up stream from 2420 habitat6631 Habitat.16631 Habitat.2Habitat H. floribunda. Plaatjieskop.Habitat H. retisa. Plaatjieskop JDV 0711Fig. 8a. Habitat of H. elizeae. Stormsvlei.Fig. 8. Habitat of H. elizeae. Stormsvlei.Fig. 2. A photograph of the habitat of MBB7899.13.21 View overlooking habitat 7496.Fig. 131 – 7953 N Klipbankskloof westward view of habitatLooking to the previous habitat of larger quartz rockView further into BuitenstekloofOuhoekberg view to south.Ouhoekberg view to southeast.Ouhoekberg view to east.Ouhoekberg view to north.view Hammnsberg to the southeastview from Hammansberg northwardsview from Hammansberg eastwardsVan Reenens CrestView 4 looking northeast from within hiking trailView 3 looking northeast from within hiking trailView 2 looking northeast from within hiking trailView 1 over Greyton from the northeast8045 view looking west of northView from Brakkloof looking east.8048 view looking northView looking east of north7821 habitat viewed from the west.View westwards to the KanetvleiFig. 49 View from locality MBB7917 to that of MBB 7919.Fig. 2 View from locality MBB7914 to Heuningklip.Fig. 1 View of locality MBB7914.Fig. 23.10 7075 View across site. Grootvlakte7075 View of site at GrootvlakteFig. 23 7938 SE Stoffelsrivier View looking east to SandhoogteView looking eastFig. 14.14 7497 View looking north.13.22 View looking west to north of Kleinberg.Fig. 6.3 7928 View looking southwest with Kleinberg off to the right.Fig. 6.2 7928 View looking east to 7927Fig. 80 7945 View lookin across depression to west facing slope7945 View lookin across depression to west facing slopeFig. 54 7943 View west to farmhouseFig. 45 7941 View east to Die KopFig. 44 7941 View west to HaarwegskloofFig. 145 View looking northwest to RiviersonderendFig. 130 – 7953 Klipbankskloof West 3 View westwardsFig.100 View looking south to Potberg.Fig. 52 MBB7958 View to MBB7957 a. Daphne inspecting, Lawrence checking the GPS.Fig. 35 View looking south to Tradouw PassFig. 12 View looking east to Set 1.Viewing site from the northMBB7266 SE Lemoenpoort, view to southwest13. A view from south Dwarsindieweg.4c. View northwards from Bakoven7. View south to Villiersdorp1c. View looking west from north Muiskraal1b. View looking south west over Muiskraal to Garcia Pass1a.View from above Onverwacht North Westward to LadismithView taken looking eastwards from Kleindoorn (Kleindoornrivier)View from the upper slopes of the Zuurberg at Wilgerfontein, with Darlington Dam just visible in the distance.03 . View west of south from Sandberg.View 2 From Cilmor eastwards.View 1 From Cilmor to the northeast.Fig. 4 View to the northwest across the flood plain.Fig. 3 View northwest from a central position.Fig. 1 An overview of the Kruis River Valley.Fig. 14 The typical ‘pressure burst’ of white kaolinic soil from under more solid ferricrete where H. retusa and H. mirabilis are commonly found.Fig. 91 The ‘white clay pressure burst’Spitzkop at Riversdale. These flat-topped small peaks and larger tablelands are ferricrete caps often associated with clayish soils on the slopes. They are
often the home of Aloe ferox and A. arborescens. Sometimes there are grassy patches and pressure bursts of bare clay. H. magnifica and H. serrata occur in this kind of situation. However, these ferricrete sills are also north of the Langeberg mountains, where species like H. emelyae and H. bayeri may
occur.8053 looking at Rooivlei7821 looking northwardsLooking from Swartrug towards Riversdale.Looking from Morning Star to Kransrivermond 097This is a picture taken from a very late flowering population of H. maculata near Die Nekkies resort south of Worcester. Looking north to where H. maculata grows at about 4000ft on the Audenberg peak, and to the right at about 1000ft in the lower Hex River pass. That is where it occurs close to H. aff nortieri.Fig. 90 The countryside looking towards the Tradouw Pass.Fig. 1 A view looking north from Heuningklip to Tradouw. MBB6666 at arrow and MBB7899 at 6pt star – bFig. 3.7 Looking west to the KleinbergAlso looking SE towards Die Kop and PotbergLooking SE towards Die Kop and PotbergMBB7266 SE Lemoenpoort, looking up at locality.5. Looking north with M marking the location of Haworthia maculata, K – Karoo Garden4. Still further east looking west northwest2. Same spot looking east northeast1. Looking down the north face Die Nekkies east to west1e. Looking southwest to Garcia Pass from same spot as above1d. Looking eastwards over Muiskraal
In a series of postings in the summer of 2019, Bruce Bayer discussed the taxonomy of Haworthia retusa and related H. turgida, H. pygmaea, H. mirabilis, H. magnifica, H. emelyae, H. mutica, H. groenwaldii, H. floribunda. Here are supplement references. ~ Lawrence Loucka
H. retusa (L.) Duval in Pl. Succ. Hort. Alenc.: 7 (1809): Aloeretusa L. (1753). Lectotype, designated by Scott (1985): Illustration in Commelin, Horti Med. Amstelod. 2: t. 6 (1701). Epitype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): Blikbonnie, E Riversdale, Dekenah s.n. NBG144772 (NBG).
retusa: with leaf-tips bent back thumb-like.
Rosette stemless, slowly or seldom proliferous, to 12cm φ. Leaves 10-15, turgid, rigid, with pronounced retused end-area, pointed tips, variously lined and windowed. Without surface spination and usually without spination on margins and keel. Colours brownish or green and seldom purpling. Inflorescence simple, robust, to 30cm. Flowers compacted on inflorescence, white with greenish-brown veins.
Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval J. Commelin, Horti medici Amstelodamensis rariorum tam Orientalis, vol. 2: t. 6 (1701) http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=122188Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.] Botanical Magazine (Curtis), t. 433-468, vol. 13: t. 455 (1799) [S.T. Edwards] http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=7534Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.] A.P. de Candolle, P.J. Redouté, Plantarum Historia Succulentarum (Plantes grasses), vol. 1: t. 45 (1799-1837) [P.J. Redouté] http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=48020Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.] J.S. von Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck [Salm-Dyck], Monographia generum Aloes et Mesembryanthemi, Aloe, vol. 1: , fig. 9.3 (1849-1863) http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=184034Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.] Collection des vélins du Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, vol. 8: t. 63 () [C. Aubriet] http://bibliotheques.mnhn.fr/medias/detailstatic.aspx?INSTANCE=exploitation&RSC_BASE=IFD&RSC_DOCID=MNHN_VEL_PORTEFEUILLE008_FOL063Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval J. Moninckx, Moninckx atlas, vol. 3: t. 7 (1682-1709) http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=138251
H. retusa var. turgida (Haw) Bayer (2012)H. turgida Haw. in Suppl. Pl. Succ.: 52 (1819). Neotype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): Swellendam, Breede River Bridge, Bayer 2420 (NBG).
turgida: swollen.
Rosette partially stemless, proliferous, 5-10cm φ. Leaves 20-40, turgid often as thick as broad, recurved or slightly retused, generally mottled, yellow-green to pink in sun, margins and keel lightly spined. Inflorescence simple, 15-20cm. Flowers slender, brownish-white with darker venation.
H. pygmaea V.Poelln. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 27: 132 (1930). Neotype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): hills E Great Brak, Fourcade 4759 (BOL).
pygmaea: dwarf.
Rosette stemless, slowly proliferous, 6-10cm φ. Leaves 12-15, retused, round-tipped, surface pellucid with obscure raised tubercles, sometimes intensely papillose. Inflorescence simple, robust, to 30cm. Flowers white with greenish veins.
H. mirabilis (Haw.) Haw. in Syn. Pl. Succ.: 95 (1812): Aloemirabilis Haw. (1804). Neotype, designated by Bayer (1977): Illustration in Curtis’ Bot. Mag.: t. 1354 (1811). Epitype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): Skuitsberg, between Caledon and Greyton, Bayer 2453 (NBG).
mirabilis: wonderful.
Rosette stemless, proliferous, to 7cm φ. Leaves 10-15, retused, 3-4cm X 1,5cm, markedly retused, acute above, face translucent and lined, dark green, with marginal spines turning reddish in the sun. Inflorescence slender. Flowers narrow, elongate, biarcuate bud, upper lobes pinched at tips.
H. mirabilis var. magnifica (V.Poelln.) Bayer (2012): Haworthiamagnifica V.Poelln. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 33: 240 (1933): H. maraisii var. magnifica (V.Poelln.) Bayer : 131 (1976). Lectotype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): Riversdale, Ferguson.
magnifica: magnificent.
Rosette stemless, slowly proliferous, to 8 cm φ. Leaves spreading, retused to ground level, dark green to purplish, scabrid to finely spined margins, end-area slightly translucent between the veins, surfaces with small slightly raised tubercles. Inflorescence slender, to 40cm. Flowers brownish veined, few open, upper lobes pinched at tips.
H. emelyae V.Poelln. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni. Veg. 42: 271 (1937). Lectotype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): [unpublished image] (B).
emelyae: for Emely Ferguson.
Rosette to 10cm φ, seldom proliferous. Leaves 15-20, distinctly retused, pointed, barely translucent, with scattered elongate small flecks, with obscure raised tubercles, lined, reddish-brown hued. Inflorescence simple. Flowers 15-20, white.
H. mutica Haw. in Revis.:55 (1821). Lectotype, designated by Bayer (1978): [image] (K; later published in Excelsa 8: 50 (1978). Epitype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): NE Soetrivier Bridge, Bayer KG623/69 (NBG).
mutica: without a point.
Rosette stemless. non-proliferous, 6-8cm φ. Leaves 12-15, retused, blunt-tipped, brownish-green, in habitat developing purplish cloudiness, barely pellucid with several longitudinal lines. Inflorescence simple, to 20cm. Flowers white with brownish veins.
Description: Always growing singly, but in a couple of cases growing in groups of plants of different ages. Rosette: acaulescent, 40-50 mm Ø (exceptionally up to 100 mm). Leaves: 5-7(8), fleshy, spreading, end-area in most cases very rounded (resembling H. springbokvlakensis), 20-25 mm long, 13-18 mm broad, 11-13 mm thick. Leaf surface of back and leaf-base, smooth, opaque; colour dull dark green. Margins: opaque, smooth. Back without keel. End-areas: 13-18 mm long, face translucent, with 3-5 whitish parallel lines, the middle one the longest (sometimes parallel lines are ± partly of greenish colour). Surface of the end area, rough with small papillae. End area of some specimens are with ± whitish, ± raised dots, in a few cases the dots are blended into cloudy flecks. Leaf-tip: very rounded, without teeth. Inflorescence: 300-600 mm long, 1.2-2 mm diam., Peduncle: 200-300 mm long. Sterile Bracts: 15-20, 5-7 mm long. Raceme: 100-300 mm long. 8-18 flowers, 2-5 flowers open at one time. Fertile Bracts: 3-4 mm long. Pedicels: 2-4 mm long, 1-1.2 mm diam. Flowers: 14-16 mm long. Perianth: 3 -4 mm diam. Flower-face: 9-12 mm long. Upper part: 6-7 mm long, 3-5 mm broad. Lower part: 5-7 mm long, 5-9 mm broad. Fruit: 11-18 mm long, 2.5-4 mm thick. Flowering time February–March. Type Information Collector: J. Groenewald s.n. (= MBB7801) Locality: 3420 (-BA), Buffeljagsrivier, Western Cape, SA.
Haworthia groenewaldii ‘typical’ specimen with whitish flecks and parallel lines with some green colour.
Haworthia groenewaldii in Habitat. Specimen without whitish flecks, growing in between Merxmuellera disticha, a hard and unpalatable grass.
Another specimen of Haworthia groenwaldii with little whitish flecksA specimen of Haworthia groenewaldii with inflorescence among a group of smaller plants.
H. floribunda V.Poelln. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 40: 149 (1936). Neotype, designated by Bayer (1982): [unpublished image] (B). Epitype, designated by Breuer & Metzing (1997): Blackdown, NE Heidelberg, Bayer 158 (NBG).
floribunda: many flowered.
Rosette stemless, up to 3cm φ, slowly proliferous. Leaves 20-30 dark green opaque, upto ovate-lanceolate, spreading, twisted with flattened, rounded tip, margins scabrid to dentate. Inflorescence simple, to 250mm. Flowers 10-15, greenish-white, few open together.
Journal of the Linnean Society vol 18 – 1881, J. G. Baker ‘On Aloinea and Yuccoidea’ – 3. Haworthia starting on 209 (page 197). H. retusa 220 (208). H. turgida on the next page.
![Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.]
Botanical Magazine (Curtis), t. 433-468, vol. 13: t. 455 (1799) [S.T. Edwards]
http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=7534](https://haworthiaupdates.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/H-retusa-2.jpg)
![Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.]
A.P. de Candolle, P.J. Redouté, Plantarum Historia Succulentarum (Plantes grasses), vol. 1: t. 45 (1799-1837) [P.J. Redouté]
http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=48020](https://haworthiaupdates.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/H-retusa-3.jpg)
![Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.]
J.S. von Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck [Salm-Dyck], Monographia generum Aloes et Mesembryanthemi, Aloe, vol. 1: , fig. 9.3 (1849-1863)
http://plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=184034](https://haworthiaupdates.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/H-retusa-4.jpg)
![Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval [as Aloe retusa L.]
Collection des vélins du Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, vol. 8: t. 63 () [C. Aubriet]
http://bibliotheques.mnhn.fr/medias/detailstatic.aspx?INSTANCE=exploitation&RSC_BASE=IFD&RSC_DOCID=MNHN_VEL_PORTEFEUILLE008_FOL063](https://haworthiaupdates.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Aloe-retusa.jpg)
