Gasteria is a genus of 23 species of succulent plants indigenous to South Africa with all except one being endemic to South Africa. Closely related genera include Aloe, Astroloba and Haworthia. The genus name Gasteria is named for its stomach-shaped flowers. In Greek, gaster, means belly, and alludes to the swollen base of the perianth tube. The genus is part of the family Asphodeloideae. Common names include cow-tongue cactus, lawyer’s tongue, mother-in-law’s tongue and ox-tongue. Gasteria species are grown in well-drained, sandy soils in light shade. Gasterias thrive in cultivation both indoors and outdoors, used as potted plants or in outdoor rockeries and are tolerant of a wide range of soils and habitats. The flowers attract birds to the garden during spring. With their ability to grow under lower light conditions they are easily grown and maintained in cultivation. Gasterias are used in various traditional medicines. In the Eastern Cape Gasteria excelsa and Gasteria croucheri are said to have magical properties and are occasionally put on the roofs of homes to stop lightning from striking the house. There are also reports that the plants are used during faction fighting in a belief that it will make them invisible to their enemies.

Gasteria carinata commonly known as Keeled Ox-tongue in English and Bredasdorp-beestong in Afrikaans is a beautiful but very varied endemic species which is widely distributed in the southern Western Cape, south of the Riviersonderend and Langeberg Mountains, from Hermanus in the west to Mossel Bay in the east. Gasteria carinata blooms from winter to late spring with a peak during mid-spring. Gasteria carinata is a stemless plant that will reach 3cm to 12cm tall. It is prolific in forming off-sets at the base of the plant. This causes them to have a mounding appearance.