ADROMISCHUS CRISTATUS VAR. MZIMVUBUENSIS van Jaarsv.
Section: 5 Longipedunculati

CHARACTERS
This variety of A. cristatus is distinguished by light-green, flattened waxy leaves with a horny margin right around much of the leaf, but very few glandular hairs and aerial roots.

CULTIVATION
Very easy in cultivation and DMC336 is now offered in English garden centres!

COMMENTS
In the recent description in Aloe 40(2):40 (2003), Ernst van Jaarsveld applies the name to just plants from the Umzimvubu Rivier and Umtata area. Here, all A. cristatus collections from north of the Groot Keirivier are included under this new name, even though the distinction from var. zeyheri becomes less clear-cut. Thus this variety does not always have a horny margin right around the leaf and is known from mudstone and sandstone as well as Ecca shale.

Ernst writes of the first photo: "This is a beautiful form of Adromischus cristatus var. mzimvubuensis from the Lutengela region of the Umzimvubu Rivier. We collected this on a very exposed N. face together with Cotyledon orbiculata var. flanaganii (narrow leaved form) with short undulating leaves. It flowered with me a month ago and not typical of the Umzimvubu Rivier. The var. mzimvubuensis with its oblong leaves  is remarkably constant over the area we covered, but only in very sunny warm places."