Aloe spicata L.f.

Klopper, Ronell R., Crouch, Neil R., Smith, Gideon F. & van Wyk, Abraham E., 2020, A synoptic review of the aloes (Asphodelaceae, Alooideae) of KwaZulu-Natal, an ecologically diverse province in eastern South Africa, PhytoKeys 142, pp. 1-88 : 1

Aloe spicata L.f.

Syn.

Aloe sessiliflora Pole Evans.

Common names.

Lebombo aloe (English); Lebombo-aalwyn (Afrikaans); inhlaba (Zulu).

Description.

Acaulescent to arborescent or shrubby plants. Stem 1-2 m high, unbranched or branched low down or high up, erect to decumbent, with persistent dried leaves. Leaves densely rosulate, spreading to slightly recurved, green to sometimes almost entirely reddish on upper surface, without markings, lanceolate-attenuate, canaliculate, 50-80 cm long, 7-10 cm wide; margin reddish, with small deep pink to reddish teeth, 1-2 mm long, 8-15 mm apart; exudate pale honey-coloured. Inflorescence 0.6-1.2 m high, erect, simple. Raceme cylindrical, 30-50 cm long, 4-5 cm diameter, very dense. Floral bracts ± 10 mm long, 6 mm wide. Pedicels absent. Flowers: perianth buds pale brownish-red, greenish-yellow when mature, 14-15 mm long, 5-6 mm across ovary, widening towards wide open mouth, campanulate; outer segments free to base; stamens exserted to 10 mm; style exserted 10-12 mm.

Flowering time.

June-August.

Habitat.

Wide variety of soils and habitats, including steep rocky slopes and cliffs. It is never found in exposed situations in deep soil.

Diagnostic characters.

Aloe spicata is one of only two aloes indigenous to KwaZulu-Natal that have sessile campanulate flowers with dark nectar in a simple inflorescence. It differs from Aloe vryheidensis in often being acaulescent in KwaZulu-Natal or sometimes having erect to decumbent stems (not procumbent), spreading to recurved leaves (not erect) and an erect inflorescence (not oblique). Racemes of Aloe spicata are narrow (4-5 cm wide) with greenish-yellow flowers (not pinkish-brown). The ovary is uniformly green (without red lines).

Conservation status.

Least Concern ( Raimondo et al. 2009).

Distribution.

Northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo in South Africa, also throughout Eswatini and in southern Mozambique, with an isolated record in Zimbabwe (Fig. 41 ).

Figures

Figure 41. Aloe spicata. Photo: G. F. Smith.