Aloe candelabrum, A.Berger

Smith, Gideon F., Klopper, Ronell R., Crouch, Neil R. & Figueiredo, Estrela, 2016, Reinstatement of Aloe candelabrum A. Berger (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae), a tree-like aloe of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, Bradleya 34, pp. 59-69 : 65-68

Taxonomy of Aloe candelabrum

The name Aloe candelabrum A.Berger is listed as an illegitimate name (nom. illeg.) in databases such as The Plant List (http://www.theplant list.org/). This originates from a wrong entry in Index Keaeensis for Aloe candelabrum Tod. in Hortus Botanicus Panormitanus: 46 (1876) that has been taken up in IPNI (http://www.ipni.org/). As both names [ Aloe candelabrum Tod. (1876) and Aloe candelabrum A. Berger (1906)] are listed in IPNI, and the former is regarded as having priority, Berger’s name appears to be an illegitimate later homonym ( Reynolds, 1950) and has been treated as such by some authors (e.g. Govaerts, 2016). However, in Todaro (1876 –1878: 66 [not page 46 as given in Index Keaeensis and IPNI]) the name published is in fact Agaoe candelabrum Tod. , which is probably a synonym of Agaoe cantala (Haw.) Roxb. ex Salm-Dyck (see Gentry, 1982). Aloe candelabrum A.Berger is therefore legitimate ( Figueiredo & Smith, 2012 Reference by Jacobsen (1986: 150) to “ Aloe candelabrum Engl. & Drude ” is incorrect as these authors did not actually publish a later homonym of Aloe candelabrum A. Berger (1906: 246). Rather, Engler & Drude (1908: 415, Fig. 353) misidentified a population of Aloe thraskii , South Africa’s Dune aloe, as constituting Aloe candelabrum .

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Aloe candelabrum A.Berger in Notizblatt des Königlichen Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 4 (38): 246 (1906). A.Berger in Das Pflanzenreich IV. 38. III. II. Heft 33: 306 (1908); Dyer in The Floaeering Plants of South Africa 24: t. 945 (1944); Groenewald, Die aalaeyne oan Suid-Afrika, Suidaees-Afrika, Portugees Oos-Afrika, Saeaziland, Basoetoeland, en ’n spesiale ondersoek oan die klassifikasie, chromosome en areale oan die Aloe Maculatae: 66 (1941); Reynolds, The aloes of South Africa: 468–470 (1950); Jeppe, South African aloes: 39 and plate on following page (1969); Jacobsen, Lexicon of succulent plants. Short descriptions, habitats and synonymy of succulent plants other than Cactaceae: 74 (1970); Bornman & Hardy, Aloes of the South African oeld: 260–261 (1971); Jacobsen, A handbook of succulent plants, ool. 1: 149–150 (1986); Smith & Van Wyk, Aloes in southern Africa: 86 (2008); Grace et al., The aloe names book: 30 (2011).

Type: [ South Africa] Flora of Natal, N [Natal] Botanic Gardens , July 1890, J. Medley Wood 4345 (B†, holo-; US US00680243 !, iso-) .

Note: The holotype is not extant at B and was probably destroyed in 1943, during WWII (R. Vogt, pers. comm. on 28 July 2016).

Description

Solitary, arborescent plant up to 2–4m high. Stem simple, erect, 2–4(–8)m high, densely covered with persistent, down-curved, dried leaves. Leaoes densely rosulate, spreading to recurved, dull green to glaucous, without spots, surfaces smooth, lanceolate-ensiform, ± 100cm long, 15cm wide at base, lower surface with few spines in median line near apex, occasionally with few scattered spines; margin reddish, cartilaginous, with pungent, reddish to brownish red, deltoid teeth, ± 3mm long, 15–20mm apart; exudate honey coloured. Inflorescence usually single, ± 1m high, erect, 5- to 12-branched from below middle, branches erect. Peduncle stout, somewhat sulcate, compressed low down; with several sterile bracts below racemes. Racemes cylindric, slightly acuminate, 50–80cm long, ± 10cm wide, terminal raceme often the longest, presenting higher than lateral racemes, very dense; buds horizontal, flowers horizontal or nodding when open. Floral bracts ovate-deltoid, ± 10mm long, ± 5mm wide, white, thin, scarious, 5- to 7-nerved. Pedicels 6mm long. Floaeers: perianth scarlet, sometimes rose-pink or orange, with white or pale segment tips, ± 32 mm long, ± 5mm across ovary, widening above ovary to ± 8mm towards slightly upturned mouth, clavate-cylindric, slightly ventricose; outer segments free for 16–22mm, tips spreading to slightly flared; stamens with filiform-flattened filaments, included part lemon, exserted part deep orange to purplish, exserted 20mm; ooary 6mm long, 3mm diameter, green; style with included portion lemon, exserted portion yellow, exserted 20mm.

Chromosome number: 2 n = 14 ( Vosa, 1982).

Additional specimens examined

SOUTH AFRICA: KWAZULU-NATAL.—2830 (Dundee): Meduna , Klip River Distr. (– CB), 16 July 1915, E. Keeling & I.B. Pole Eoans 110 ( K) ; 2831 (Nkandla): Zululand region., Heatonville (– DB), 6 June 1945, M.G. de Waal A & B ( NH) ; 2929 (Underberg): Mpendhle Distr., Mkhomazi State Forest, N-facing slopes of Mulangane (– DB), 27 July 1985, Pitchford s.n. ( K, PRE) ; 2930 (Pietermaritzburg): Richmond Distr., Aloe Corner (– C), 13 July 1966, E.J. Moll 3283 ( K, PRE) ; Maritzburg (– CB), 7 April 1916, E.M. Doidge 165 ( K; PRE) ; Pietermaritzburg, Otto’s Bluff (– CB), August 1943, F.Z. oan der Meraee 2666 ( PRE) ; Inchanga, between Durban and Pietermaritzburg (– DA), 2 June 1935, G.W. Reynolds 1397 ( PRE) ; Inchanga, about 25 miles west of Durban (– DA), May 1954, L.C. Leach 101 ( PRE) ; Ndwedwe, 3 miles west of Ndwedwe (– DB), 13 July 1966, E.J. Moll 3287B, C, D ( PRE) ; Mariannhill (– DD), July 1916, H.W.R. Marloth 7339 ( PRE) ; 2931 (Stanger): Msundusi , Coll . Foxen’s farm (– CA), 2 August 1928, J.W. Beaes 255 ( PRE) ; 3029 (Kokstad): Harding District (– DB), 3 July 1953, J. Gibbs s.n. ( K) ; 3030 (Port Shepstone): Ixopo (– AA), June 1936, G.G. Smith 150 ( PRE) ; Alexandra County, Friedenau, Umgaye Flats (– AD), 24 July 1910, H.H. Rudatis 809 ( PRE) ; Port Shepstone, Horseshoe Farm (– CA), 5 August 1965, R.G. Strey 5876 ( NH, PRE) ; Umtamvuna, Gundrift, Mpunzi bridge (– CC), 14 June 1969, R.G. Strey 8704 ( NH, PRE) ; Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, Protea Point (– CC), 25 June 1987, A. Abbott 3947 ( NH, PCE) .

Common names: See Grace et al. (2011: 30) for a comprehensive list.

Flowering time: Mid-winter (June–July; Southern Hemisphere).