Aloe komatiensis Reynolds

Smith, Gideon F., Figueiredo, Estrela, Klopper, Ronell R. & Crouch, Neil R., 2012, Summer-flowering species of maculate Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae) in the Aloe zebrina-complex from South Africa: reinstatement of four names, and description of A. braamvanwykii Gideon F. Sm. & Figueiredo, Bradleya 30, pp. 155-166 : 160

Aloe komatiensis Reynolds in J. S. Afr. Bot. 2: 120 (1936).

Type: South Africa, Mpumalanga, Komatipoort, flowered in Johannesburg 24 March 1936, G.W. Reynolds 1543 ( PRE, holo.!; BOL, iso.!)

A. decurvidens Groenew . in Tydskr. Wetensk. Kuns 15: 126 (1937).

Type: South Africa, Pietersburg district, F.Z. van der Meraee 107 ( PRE, holo.!)

A. lusitanica Groenew. in Tydskr. Wetensk. Kuns 16: 13 (1937).

Type: Mozambique, Maputo, April 1937, F.Z. van der Meraee s.n. in PRE 24087 ( PRE, lecto.!) (designated by Glen et al. 1995: 98)

Diagnostic characters: This aloe sometimes occurs as solitary rosettes, but usually forms small groups. Leaves are very narrow, yellowish green to dull green and usually without spots on the lower surface. Peduncle and flowers are lightly covered with a grey powdery bloom. Inflorescences are up to 2 m high and compactly branched from above the middle ( Figure 3 ). Flowers are ± 30 mm long and pale dull brick red, with a 1 mm wide dull white border on the outer perianth segments.

Distribution: It occurs from Komatipoort southwards to Figtree and westwards to Malelane, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and also in Mozambique between Maputo and Marracuene.

Habitat: Grassveld and bushveld in a summer rainfall area that is free from frost.

Figures

Figure 3. A. komatiensis has tall inflorescences of up to 2 m, and leaves that are usually unspotted on the under surface. Photo: Willem Froneman. Figure 4. A. lettyae in fruit, showing the characteristic orientation of the inflorescence branches. Photo: Erich van Wyk.