H. arachnoidea is distributed primarily throughout the winter-rainfall regions of the W. Cape and N. Cape provinces of South Africa. It varies in overall appearance from green, rather untidy plants with soft, hair-like teeth to globular symmetrical gems with stiffer spines. We offer the latter—a form known by the synonym H. setata var. gigas—from the Little Karoo in the interior of the southeastern portion of the W. Cape. On close inspection the three ranks of spines lining the leaves may remind one of Aloe erinacea in miniature, while the spiral leaf arrangement evokes Aloe polyphylla! We offer tissue-cultured plants of a couple of clones of HBG 65840. $10.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 84 (2), March - April, 2012