Haworthia bobii Hayashi

By Gerhard Marx - 24 July 2023

Apart from H. groenewaldii, this species must be the most interesting and exciting find during the past decade. It was discovered by Bruce and Daphne Bayer near the coast along the lower Breede River near Infanta. The significance of this incredible find seemed to have excited everyone but Bayer as he initially referred to it simply as “Haworthia mirabilis ‘Shaggy Dog’” but later he called it “H. mirabilis ‘Pilosa’” and in later articles he started referring to it as “H. mirabilis ‘Velcro’”.

The general association with H. mirabilis turns out to be reasonably correct in terms of the general definition of mirabilis, being a summer-flowering phenomenon. H. bobii also has strong floristic links to H. diversicolor (H. mirabilis var. diversicolor) while the rosette and leaf shape remind strongly of H. badia. The yellow inner perianth lobes and other flower features as well as flowering time are all the same as that of H. diversicolor known from the areas south and west of McGregor as well as to a lesser extent those of H. mirabilis var paradoxa from further east along the coast. The latter must be the reason why it is considered synonymous with H. mirabilis var paradoxa in official species lists.

It is very strikingly and distinctively characterised by having numerous ‘hairy’ spinose tubercles on the upper leaf surfaces and can as a result also look rather reminiscent of H. wimii (=H. emelyae var major Bayer).

If one takes all its floristic and remarkable morphological features in consideration in conjunction to its geographical situation being well removed from all its closest allies, then the decision to publish it as a separate species seems only logical within the current inconsistent naming system within Haworthia. That is also what Dr Hayashi has done by naming it H. bobii in honour of the late Bob Kent, Haworthia enthusiast and excellent grower from Poway, CA, USA.