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 branddraaiensis [family ALOACEAE]
Information
Plants stemless, 200-300 mm tall excluding inflorescence, often suckering to form small clumps. Leaves 20-25, 250-500 x 60-100 mm, green, greyish or brownish, lineate, with many H-shaped spots irregularly scattered. InfloresÂcence with 40-80 ultimate branches, 1.0-1.5 m tall; racemes capitate; bracts deltoid-acuminate, 8-12 x 2.5-4.0 mm, 3-5-nerved. Flowers 15-27 mm long, dull scarlet-red with paler lonÂgitudinal stripes, subclavate to clavate above basal constriction; outer segments free for ± 7 mm, inner segments adnate to outer; pedicels 15-20 mm long, lengthening to ± 25 mm in fruit. Anthers not or hardly exserted. Ovary ± 3 x 2 mm; style not or hardly exserted. Fruit ±16 x 8 mm, pale grey. Flowering time June to July.
Habitat
The much-branched inflorescence distinÂguishes this species from all other maculates. When not flowering, it may be distinguished from the geographically close A. fosteri (no. 52) by the disposition of the leaves, which are almost horizontal in this species but ascending to incurved in that one.
Use
43. Aloe branddraaiensis Groenew. ex Van der Merwe in The Flowering Plants of South Africa 20: t. 761 (1940); Reynolds: 219 (1950); Jeppe: 86 (1969); Bornman & D.S.HarÂdy: 83 (1972); B.-E. van Wyk & G.F.Sm.: 184 (1996). Type: Mpumalanga, Branddraai, F.Z. van der Merwe PRE24208 (PRE!).
Range
Endemic to the Northern Province and Mpumalanga. A. branddraaiensis grows in bush-veld on very thin soil close to the escarpment, at high altitude. Map 33.
