Aloe (Viljoen, 1999)

Klopper, Ronell R., Grace, Olwen M., Klopper, Arrie W., Smith, Gideon F. & Van, Abraham E., 2023, A taxonomic revision of Aloe sect. Purpurascentes (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), Phytotaxa 628 (1), pp. 1921-1935 : 1921-1935

Key to the taxa

It is important to note that the identification key provided here for the members of A. sect. Purpurascentes will likely only be fully valuable for natural populations or where the provenance of a plant is known. In some cases it might not be possible to accurately identify cultivated plants of this section, especially where the precise origin of the parent plants are uncertain, for reasons discussed above.

1a Leaves with pale or white marginal teeth; floral bracts turning purple with age; occurring from the Cape Peninsula to Hermanus, Western Cape ............................................................................................................................................................ 5. A. succotrina

1b Leaves with reddish brown marginal teeth; floral bracts not turning purple with age; not occurring from the Cape Peninsula to Hermanus, Western Cape .................................................................................................................................................................. 2

2a Racemes with floral bracts longer than pedicels .................................................................................................... 2. A. gariepensis

2b Racemes with floral bracts shorter than pedicels or sometimes of almost equal length .................................................................. 3

3a Arborescent plants with tall erect stems of up to 2 m; inflorescences branched .............................................................................. 4

3b Acaulescent or shortly caulescent plants with stems shorter than 0.5 m; if stems longer than 0.5 m, then stems are decumbent .... 6

4a Leaves yellowish green, with marginal teeth 3–5 mm long; flowers 21–33 mm long; occurring in the Hantam region ................... .......................................................................................................................................... 3b. A. khamiesensis subsp. hantamensis

4b Leaves dull green to reddish brown, with marginal teeth 1–3 mm long; flowers 28–35 mm long; not occurring in the Hantam region ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

5a Leaves with marginal teeth 2–3 mm long; inflorescence 4- to 8-branched; buds and flowers at anthesis orange-red, 30–35 mm long ................................................................................................................................. 3a. A. khamiesensis subsp. khamiesensis

5b Leaves with marginal teeth 1–2 mm long; inflorescence 2- to 4-branched; buds orange-red, flowers at anthesis yellow, ± 28 mm long ............................................................................................................................... 3c. A. khamiesensis subsp. knersvlakensis

6a Occurs from the Eastern Cape, through the Karoo to the Tankwa Karoo and Hantam regions, Bushmanland, Richtersveld and southern Namibia.............................................................................................................................................................................. 7

6b Occurs along the West Coast and in the Cederberg area .................................................................................................................. 8

7a Rosettes usually solitary, sometimes in groups; leaves 6–8 cm wide; marginal teeth 2–4 mm long; inflorescence always simple; pedicels 25–30 mm long and longer than floral bracts (10–25 mm) ................................. 4a. A. microstigma subsp. microstigma

7b Rosettes always in groups; leaves 2.5–4.5 cm wide; marginal teeth 0.5–2.0 mm long; inflorescence sometimes simple, often up to 3-branched; pedicels 20–28 mm long and about as long as floral bracts (12–20 mm) ................ 4b. A. microstigma subsp. juttae

8a Leaves grey-green, often obscurely lineate; racemes 30–40 cm long; inland distribution, occurs on sandstone in Fynbos .............. .......................................................................................................................................................... 1b. A. framesii subsp. amoena

8b Leaves bluish green, not often obscurely lineate; racemes 20–30 cm long; coastal distribution, occurring in Strandveld Fynbos and Succulent Karoo Duneveld and Strandveld ...................................................................................................................................... 9

9a Plants with short or more often long semi-erect to decumbent stems; floral bracts 11–16 mm long; pedicels usually 16–20 mm long; flowers 25–35 mm long; occurs in Succulent Karoo vegetation ........................................... 1a. A. framesii subsp. framesii

9b Plants sometimes acaulescent or usually with short, often decumbent stems; floral bracts 14–20 mm long; pedicels usually 20–30 mm long; flowers 40–45 mm long; occurs in Fynbos ..................................................................... 1c. A. framesii subsp. maraisii