This is a distinctive neotenic miniature with distichous rosettes of two to four leaves. These lie flat and have a rough, bumpy, tongue-like appearance, sometimes with paler tubercles that may develop with age. Seedlings of var. nitida appear much the same until they produce erect pointed leaves. Not surprisingly the inflorescences of var. armstrongii are also smaller and are unbranched but bear 20 mm long flowers comparable in size to those of the larger variety. Var. armstongii is restricted to a small coastal region within the wider range of var. nitida. HBG 93978, from controlled pollination of seedlings collected by W. Massyn near Humansdorp, E. Cape, S. Africa. $5.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 78 (2), March - April, 2006