page_title: Gasteria polita
section_title: Distribution
hierarchical_section_title: Gasteria polita / Distribution
caption_attribution_description: English: Gasteria species - Distribution map of the various gasteria species and subspecies in Namibia South Africa and Swaziland
context_page_description: Gasteria polita, the polished gasteria, is a recently discovered succulent plant, restricted to a locality in the Afro-temperate forest of the Western Cape, South Africa.
context_section_description: Gasteria polita is indigenous to mountainous forests near Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa.
  This is the only Gasteria species which grows predominantly in Afro-temperate forest habitat, where it occurs on rocky outcrops, pockets and crevices, sometimes even under shady forest canopy.
  It was first discovered and described in 2001, at Whiskey Creek Nature Reserve (now part of Garden Route National Park), just north of Plettenberg Bay. In 2010, it was also discovered growing slightly to the east, at De Vasselot Nature Reserve (now also part of Garden Route National Park), just north of Nature's Valley. These plants were larger in form and were found growing on sparse, rocky, fynbos slopes (Covie Coastal Proteoid Fynbos). Other localities known so far include a spot near The Crags in Plettenberg Bay. Currently four populations are known altogether, for this species, and it is consequently declared "Critically Rare" according to the IUCN Red List. Three of the four populations occur within the Garden Route National Park.
caption: Distribution map, showing the tiny range of Gasteria polita (western-most green star)
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