Compilation
Aloe marlothii

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Name

Identification
Aloe marlothii A.Berger [family ASPHODELACEAE ]
Related name
  • Aloe marlothii

Flora

Entry for Aloe marlothii subsp marlothii [family ALOACEAE]
Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Aloe marlothii subsp marlothii [family ALOACEAE]
Habitat
The specific epithet honours the discoverer, H.W.R. Marloth (1855-1931), pharmacist, ana­lytical chemist and botanist. Marloth's collec­tions and publications are among the most important of his period for the study of southern African botany. Many common names are re­corded for this species, including the following: mountain aloe, bergaalwyn (Afrikaans), inhla-ba (siSwati), bindamutsho and khopha (Tshi-venda), umhlaba, inhlaba, ikhala and inhlabane (Zulu) and ngopa nara (seKone) (Reynolds 1950; Palmer & Pitman 1972).
Use
104a. subsp. marlothii
Range
Aloe marlothii subsp. marlothii is eaten by eland in the Pietersburg Game Reserve (G. Bredenkamp pers. comm.). Small plants are browsed as they are found, but the animals push over large individuals to reach the crowns. The baKgatla use the leaf boiled in water with sugar as a tapeworm remedy (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk 1963). The same authors report that this species contains the same carcinogens as cigarette smoke. The leaves are widely used to scrape hides and thin them for use as clothing. Ash from burned dry leaves is used to adulter­ate snuff. The Zulu use a decoction of green leaves and roots against roundworm, and a decoction of the shoots for digestive troubles. The leaf sap is rubbed on a mother's breasts to hasten weaning.

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