Aloe liliputana Van Jaarsv. & Harrower, 2014

Van Jaarsveld, Ernst J. & Harrowed, Adam, 2014, Aloe liliputana, a new grass aloe from Pondoland, Eastern Cape, Republic of South Africa, Bradleya 32, pp. 30-35 : 30-35

Aloe liliputana Van Jaarsv. & Harrower sp. nov.,

ab A.parviflora foliis anguste linearibus, subteretibus., rigidis, primum 2mm latis sed apicem versus haud expansis, etiam tuberculos densos basales carentibus, atque bracteis floralibus a pedicello dimidio brevioribus, perianthiis 9–10 mm longis satis differt

Type: Eastern Cape, 3129 (Port Saint Johns): near Mkweni Gorge , north of Luputhana , on shallow quartzitic bedrock (–BD), Harrower 4664 ( PRE, holo.).

Perennial dwarf acaulescent ascending to decumbent rosulate succulent up to 130mm high, solitary but sometimes proliferate from the base forming a small cluster. Leaves ascending spreading at first, becoming more or less prostrate. Roots fleshy, brittle, whitish brown, fusiform, 20– 180mm long, 1.5mm in diameter at base, widening to 4–6. 7mm in the centre. Leaves thin and wiry base clasping, 3–9 per plant, linear, 80– 190mm [1.7– 2.5mm] somewhat recurved, subterete, leathery and mildly succulent and channelled during the dry season, smooth, dark green to purplish green, especially towards base, with small faint oval white spots on lower surface (prominent and larger in the lower one third of the leaf); abaxial side convex, adaxial side flat during the rainy season; margin denticulate, especially in the lower three quarters; teeth white, cartilaginous 0. 3 x 0.2mm, 1, 5mm apart; apex acuminate, [dead leaf tips persistent). Inflorescence simple, ascending to decumbent, 100–145 (180mm) mm tall; peduncle wiry 97–130mm long, 1–2mm broad and slightly flattened at base, biconvex, with 4–6 spirally arranged sterile bracts, 8 x 1mm long and clasping peduncle at intervals of 10–30mm; raceme short, capitate 15mm long flowers subdensely arranged 13–27-flowered, ascending at first becoming horizontally spreading; floral bracts scarious, ovate acuminate, 4 x 2.5mm; pedicles 7–9mm long, ascending. Perianth cylindrical, angular and trigonous at the apex, pink coloured, greenish at the tip, 8–11 mm long, base shortly stipitate; segments free to base, outer three, 8 x 2, 5 mm, lorate-ovate canaliculate; inner three lorate obovate 9 x 3mm;. Stamens yellowish, 6–7mm long. Ovary linear ovate 2. 5 x 1.5mm, grooved, brownish green; style 4 mm long. Flowering time: mainly in late summer (February to March).

Distribution and habitat

Aloe liliputana is known only from the shallow quartzitic sandstone bedrock and about 2.7km inland from the sea ( Figure 5 ). It grows at an altitude of 150m. Plants are solitary, scattered and well camouflaged among lichens, geophytes, grasses and succulents. Rainfall is 900–1350mm per annum, and is experienced mainly in summer. Vegetation of the region includes Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld and Scarp Forest in the adjacent protected kloofs ( Mucina 2006). The new species grows in the Pondoland centre of plant endemism ( Van Wyk & Smith 2001) and was found in association with other endemic succulents such as Aeollanthus parvifolius , Merwilla kraussii , Eriospermum natalensis , Senecio orbicularis , Euphorbia woodii , Crassula natalensis and Cyanotis speciosus . The vegetation is heavily grazed by cattle and there is evidence of frequent fires.

Discussion

There are 8 species of Aloe indigenous to South Africa belonging to the Section Graminialoe Reynolds ( Reynolds, 1950, Glen & Smith 2003, Craib 2005). In common are their fusiform roots, narrow linear leaves, simple inflorescence and capitate to conic-capitate racemes and bilabiate to trigonous flowers. These include A. albida , A. saundersiae , A. modesta , A. inconspicua , A. minima , A. parviflora and A. myriacantha , all of them confined to grassland vegetation.

Of these A. modesta , A. minima , A. saundersiae and A. myriacantha have fairly widespread distributions whilst A. albida , A. parviflora , A. modesta and A. liliputana are only known from a fairly small region. Aloe albida is confined to the Saddleback Mountain south of Barberton; A. parviflora to a small region near Durban (KwaZuluNatal); A. inconspicua close to Escourt (KwaZuluNatal) and A. liliputana to a solitary kloof in Pondoland. Due to its small size and well camouflaged nature it is exceptionally difficult to spot. This species might well be widespread in Pondoland, still awaiting discovery in other locations [as its shallow bedrock habitat is quite abundant in the area].

A. liliputana is at once distinguished from other members of section Graminialoe by its very narrow linear leaves of 2mm in diameter and short floral bracts less than half the pedicel length.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘liliputana’ pertains to its small size.

Figures

Figure 5. The basal portion of the rosette showing the base of the leaves. Photograph: Adam Harrower