Kingdom Plantae Clade Monocots Family Asphodelaceae | Clade Angiosperms Order Asparagales Subfamily Asphodeloideae | |
Tulista kingiana is a species of succulent plant, from the Western Cape, South Africa. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN global Red List
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It was formerly classed in the genus Haworthia, as Haworthia kingiana.
Description and taxonomy
It is an evergreen succulent plant with short, sharp, bright green leaves arranged in rosettes. The yellowish-green leaves have rounded, flat, white tubercles (though in some varieties these are absent). The plant gradually produces offsets, and can form clumps. Tulista kingiana is a variable species, with different populations and varieties, differing in the leaf shape, colour, growth form and tubercles.
In November and December it produces pink-white flowers.
It was formerly classed in the Haworthia genus, with the other large species (T.pumila, T.minima & T.marginata) in the "Robustipedunculares" subgenus. Following recent phylogenetic studies, it has been shown that these four species in fact constitute a distinct out-group, separate from other Haworthias. They have therefore been classed as a separate genus, "Tulista".
Distribution
The natural distribution of this species is a small area centred on Mossel Bay, in the far south of the Cape, South Africa. Its population is very sparse in this area, and its natural range extends from as far east as Great Brak, to Herbetsdale in the West. Its habitat is usually renosterveld and grassland patches in valley bushveld.
In the wild the plant is threatened by illegal collecting and overgrazing by cattle, and it is now very rare.
Cultivation
It is difficult in cultivation, and is both long-lived and slow growing. It prefers well-drained soil. The plant slowly offsets, so propagation can be by off-sets, by leaf-cuttings, or by seed.