Roots fusiform, very fleshy, 15 mm diam. Stem simple, up to 20 cm long, 4-6 cm diam. Leaves 15-30, multifarious, sub-erect, slightly recurved in upper third and forming a rather compact rosette, 4-5 cm broad at base, gradually attenuate, up to 10-12 cm long, with about 5 cm of the apex dried; upper surface flat or slightly concave at base, slightly canaliculate upwards; tower surface convex, both surfaces rather glossy deep green, obscurely lineate and entirely immaculate; margins with a very narrow thin white cartilaginous edge, usually without teeth, occasionally ciliate with exceedingly minute almost invisible teeth 2-5 mm distant. Peduncle simple, semi-terete, up to 50 cm long including the raceme, 13 mm diam., flattened low down, clothed with several scattered thin many-nerved sterile bracts up to 35 mm long, 12 mm broad at base, ovate in lower part, long-acuminate above, often reflexed at the middle, at length turning purple. Raceme broadly pyramidal, 8-12 cm long, 7-9 cm broad, the apex rounded, the buds densely imbricate, the open flowers laxer, terminating in a dense star-like tuft of reflexed purple bracts. Bracts narrowly deltoid, long-acuminate, 15-20 mm long, 5-7-nerved, thin, scarious, often reflexed at middle purple for their greater length. Pedicels up to 30 mm long, lengthening to 35-40 mm in the fruit. Perianth 15-18 mm long, cylindric-ellipsoid, roundly trigonous, with slightly upturned mouth, distinctly stipitate at base; outer segments free to base, obscurely 3-nerved, the two upper closely grouped and with sub-acute slightly spreading apices, the lowest naviculate and with up-turned apex; inner segments broader, with more obtuse more spreading apices, with thinner pale margins, and with a keel which is lemon in lower portion green at apex. Filaments flattened, the 3 inner narrower and lengthening in advance of the 3 outer. Anthers the 3 inner and 3 outer in turn exserted 2-3 mm Stigma exserted 2-3 mm, remaining exserted after pollination. Ovary 5 mm long, 2 mm diam., finely 6-grooved, olive green. Capsule 12 mm long, 5-5 mm diam. at the middle, enwrapped with the remains of the dry perianth. Flowering period from October to December, depending on veld fires and rains.
More
Stemless grass aloe 350-500 mm tall, solitary; roots fusiform. Leaves 38-76 cm a rosette, lorate, 100-200(-500) x 20-50 mm, often with a short or long dried apex adhering, slightly canaliculate, margins cartilaginous, usually entire, rarely ciliate. Inflorescence a dense, cylindric-conical to capitate raceme; peduncle 350-700 mm long (including raceme), with sterile bracts; bracts narrowly deltoid-acuminate, 12-25 x 4-6 mm, 5-7-nerved, purplish. Flowers lemon-yellow to canary-yellow, 13-27 mm long; segments free; pedicels 20-30 mm long, lengthening in fruit to 30-40 mm. Anthers exserted 1-3 mm. Ovary 5-7 x 2-3 mm, olive-green; style exserted 2-5 mm. Fruit 12-15 x 6-8 mm, pale grey.
Acaulescent, succulent herb, up to 500 mm tall. Roots fleshy. Leaves not fibrous, margins usually minutely dentate, rosulate, 100-200(-500) x 20-50 mm. Bracts shorter than pedicels. Racemes terminating in a small tuft of purple bracts. Flowers lemon-yellow to canary-yellow.
A shrub. It has a ring of 15-30 leaves 10-12 cm long by 4-5 cm wide. They are white near the edge. The flowering stalk is 50 cm long with yellow flowers 15-18 mm long.
Home
