Gasteria rawlinsonii Oberm.

Plants caulescent, pendulous, prolific from the base, with a leafy stem up to 1 m long, rarely branched; intemodes 10 to 20 mm apart. Roots succulent, up to 3 mm in diameter. Leaves distichous or spirally arranged, 30-80 mm long and 10-25 mm broad at the base, linear, lorate, slightly falcate; apices recurved; adaxial surface plane to convex; abaxial surface convex, without a keel; both surfaces green, not spotted or with faint white spots; epidermis asperulous; margin sparingly denticulate, or sometimes unarmed (prickles green or white, often turning black with age): prickles 1-2 mm long, 2-4 mm apart; apex obtuse, mucronate. Inflorescence racemose, 100-306(-500) mm long, bearing up to 20 reddish pink flowers; bracts 5 mm long, 2 mm broad at the base; pedicel 10 mm long. Perianth variable, 16-25 mm long, stipitate for 1-3 mm, gasteriform basally for more than half its length (globose-elliptic or globose), thence constricted to a tube 4-6 mm in diameter; the gasteriform portion pink, 6-9 mm in diameter; tube pink or white, occasionally with green striations. Stamens 17 mm long; filaments slightly flattened, becoming contracted after anthesis; anthers 2 mm long oblong, not protruding. Ovary oblong-ovoid, 5 mm long and 2-3 mm in diameter; style 11-12 mm long, exceeding the anthers after anthesis; stigma minute, included. Capsule 18 mm long, oblong-ovoid. Seeds 3-4 mm wide. Flowering time August to October, with a peak in September, and occasionally at other times of the year.