Plants in the genus Gasteria are commonly known as ox tongues, there is approximately seventy-five species in this genus.  The stemless plants, when young, have distichous leaves which may form a rosette as the plant matures.  The leaves are usually dark green and variously marked with white spots.

The tubular flowers are borne on a multi-branched inflorescence which appears in spring and dies off just before winter, the flowers are orange to red with yellow-green tips.  After a flower has been fertilised a green pod appears which turns brown as it ripens.

The genus, Gasteria, occur throughout southern and south-western Africa.