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 verecunda [family ALOACEAE]
Information
Apparently stemless grass aloe, 300-450 mm tall, in tufts, rarely solitary. Leaves 8-10, usually distichous, rarely subrosulate, lorate, 160-400 x 7-15 mm, canaliculate, dark green, margins dentate. Inflorescence a capitate raceme; peduncle 250-400 mm long, with sterÂile bracts; bracts ovate-acute, 16-21 x 4-10 mm, venation obscure. Flowers scarlet to magenta, 20-30 mm long; outer segments free; pedicels 20-30 mm long. Anthers exserted up to 3 mm. Ovary ± 7.0 x 2.5 mm; style exserted up to 10 mm. Fruit grey-buff, 20-25 x 8-10 mm. Seeds charcoal-grey, ±4x2x2 mm, with membranous wings. Flowering time December.
Habitat
Large plants of this species approach A. cooperi (no. 21) in appearance, but lack the keeled leaves characteristic of that species. In A. verecunda there are fewer leaves per head than in A. cooperi, and the inflorescences are smallÂer in all their parts. Differences between this species and A. vossii (no. 16) are dealt with under that species.
Use
14. Aloe verecunda Pole Evans in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 5: 703 (1917); Pole Evans: t. 124 (1924b); ReyÂnolds: 134 (1950); Jeppe: 123 (1969); Bornman & D.S.Hardy: 25 (1972); B.-E. van Wyk & G.F.Sm.: 294 (1996). Type: Northern Province, Wolkberg, P.J. Pienaar s.n. (PRE!).
Range
Occurring in the Northern Province, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. A. verecunda normally grows wedged between boulders on ridges of the highveld, in grassland. These places are colder than the surrounding area, but do not seem to receive much more rain. Map 10.
