Gasteria acinacifolia (J.Jacq.) Haw.

Plants acaulescent, decumbent to erect, 250-750 mm tall and up to 650 mm in diameter, solitary, or dividing or proliferating from the base to form small groups. Roots succulent, up to 6 mm in diameter. Leaves rosulate, 220-600 mm long, 45-100 mm broad at the base, linear-lanceolate to lorate, erectly spreading and sometimes falcate (rarely patent or becoming recurved); adaxial surface canaliculate, plane towards apex; abaxial surface somewhat convex with a distinctly excentric keel; both surfaces dark green, with dense white spots arranged in transverse bands; epidermis smooth, rarely slightly tuberculate; margin cartilaginous-serrulate, rarely entire; apex acute, rarely obtuse, mucronate. Juvenile leaves distichous, lorate, patent to erectly spreading with distinct domed tubercles, rarely smooth; apex acute or obtuse, mucronate. Inflorescence racemose, variable, usually a flat-topped panicle up to 1 m tall; side branches horizontal to erectly spreading rarely a simple raceme with two spreading side branches; scape 6-25 mm broad at the base, flattened; bracts 18-40 mm long, 6-14 mm broad at the base; floral bracts as long as the pedicels, piliferous; pedicel 10-25 mm long, pink Perianth 35-45(-50) mm long, stipitate for up to 5 mm, gasteriform basally-(narrow-elliptic) for half its length; the gasteriform portion 5-9 mm wide (often not constricted and indistinct from lower portion), pink, the upper half white with green striations; apices erect becoming erectly spreading obtuse; margins of inner segments free and channelled at the base for 5-6 mm, the margins diverging gradually towards the apex. Stamens 28-40 mm long; anthers 3.5 mm long, included. Ovary 10-12 mm long, 3 mm in diameter; style 27-29 mm long included or exserted for up to 5 mm; stigma curved upwards, minute. Capsule 35-43 mm long, truncate or obtuse at apex. Seeds 6-8 mm long, 5-6 mm wide. Flowering time September to December.