Compilation
Aloe petricola

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Name

Identification
Aloe petricola Pole-Evans [family ASPHODELACEAE ]
Related name
  • Aloe petricola

Flora

Entry for Aloe petricola [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 petricola [family ALOACEAE]
Information
Plants stemless, 0.5-1.0 m tall excluding inflorescence, solitary. Leaves 20-30, 400-600 x 55-100 mm, shallowly channelled, glaucous to olive-green, upper surface sometimes with few scattered prickles, lower surface usually with prickles in median line, sometimes also scattered. Inflorescence of erect to suberect, cylindric, very dense racemes, (0-)2-3(-6)-branched, up to 1 m tall; bracts ovate-acute to deltoid-acuminate, 12-14 x 3-5 mm, 3-7-nerved. Flowers dull red to coral-red in bud, orange to ivory at flowering, 17-30 mm long, slightly ventricose, mouth upturned; outer seg­ments connate in basal third, inner segments free; pedicels 2-4 mm long. Anthers exserted 5-12 mm. Ovary 3.5-5.0 x 2.0-3.0 mm; style exserted 5-12 mm. Fruit not seen. Flowering time July to August.
Habitat
Differences between this species and A. aculeata (no. 105) are dealt with under that species. A. petricola has a shorter inflorescence than A. reitzii (no. 107), and has shorter, ventri­cose flowers. The leaves of A. petricola are nar­rower and more spreading than those of A. reitzii. A. gerstneri (no. 108) has more erect leaves, a longer inflorescence, longer pedicels and a different flowering season. In this species, flower colour varies considerably, not only from plant to plant, but within the same raceme, as the flowers age.
Use
106. Aloe petricola Pole Evans in Trans­actions of the Royal Society of South Africa 5: 707 (1917); Pole Evans: t. 155 (1924e); Reynolds: 450 (1950); Jeppe: 4 (1969); Born-man & D.S.Hardy: 251 (1972); B.-E. van Wyk & G.F.Sm.: 152 (1996). Lectotype: Mpumalanga, near Nelspruit, Pole Evans PRE 196 (PRE!, here designated).
Range
Aloe petricola always occurs on rocky out­crops in a small area of hilly granite and sand­stone country in the Northern Province and Mpumalanga lowveld. Map 77.

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