Haworthia arachnoidea var. nigricans (Haw.) M.B.Bayer

Plants acaulescent, with leaves in a basal rosette which is about 5 to 7 cm diam., proliferous from the base and forming clusters. Leaves about 30, the young erect, incurved, the old ascending, incurved, about 3-4 cm long, about 6-10 mm broad at the middle, up to 4 mm thick near the apex, ovate-oblong or lanceolate acuminate, semi-pellucid; upper surface subconvex, turgid near the tip, smooth, not shining, with green tessellately connected lines; lower surface rounded, smooth, pellucid, with about 10 green reticulate lines; keel 1, or 2, centrally positioned, smooth or dentate; margins rounded from the apex to the middle, remainder acute, smooth, or with 2 mm long translucent teeth; end-awn 3 mm long, smooth, white, deciduous. Inflorescence about 40 cm tall; peduncle bracteate, simple, terete, about 17 cm long; sterile bracts membranous, ovate, acuminate, about 4 mm long, erect, keeled; raceme about 23 cm long, lax, with about 32 spirally arranged flowers and buds, 3 open simultaneously; floral bracts membranous, 5 mm long, ovate-acuminate, keeled with brown veins, clasping the pedicels, (longer than the pedicels); pedicels 4 mm long, 1 mm diam., green; perianth white with brown and green keels to the segments, 16 mm long, compressed at base, funnel-shaped, tube more or less 4 mm across, constricted to 3 mm above, curved; segments free to the base, limb 2 lipped; posterior segments erect or slightly recurved, not spreading, white with brown and green keels to the segments; exterior part recurved, spreading, white with brown and green keels to the segments; stamens 6 of two lengths, 7 and 8 mm long, inserted within the perianth tube; ovary 4 mm long, 2 mm diam., green; style 1 mm long, curved, capitate.