Aloe lutescens Groenew.

Plant succulent, shortly caulescent or developing a procumbent stem up to 50-80 cm long, usually with several vegetative shoots at random along the stem, also increasing by division, and forming dense groups. Leaves about 30, densely rosulate, erect, slightly recurved near apex, 50-60 cm long, 8-9 cm broad at base, lanceolate-attenuate; upper surface slightly concave near base, flat to slightly canaliculate upwards; lower surface convex; both surfaces dull to semi-glossy yellowish-green, turning straw coloured when burnt by the sun; margins armed with pinkish-brown deltoid teeth about 2 mm long, 3-5 mm distant, sometimes isolated, but usually joined by a narrow horny pinkish edge. Inflorescence 2-4 from a rosette (usually 3), 1-1.5 met. high, usually divaricately 3-branched from the middle or lower, with the racemes of each inflorescence in one vertical plane. Racemes narrowly cylindric-acuminate averaging 35-40 cm long, 7 cm diam. low down, the youngest buds obscured by their longer imbricate spreading bracts, older buds scarlet, grey-green tipped, open flowers yellow, sometimes slightly reddish at base. Bracts broadly ovate-acuminate, thin, sub-scarious, about 7-nerved, 15 mm long and broad. Pedicels the lowest up to 15 mm long, gradually shorter upwards. Perianth cylindric-trigonous, straight or slightly curved, 30-35 mm long, with the mouth slightly upturned (not naviculate as in A.Wickensii); outer segments free to base, very obscurely nerved, the nerves lemon, the apices sub-acute slightly spreading; inner segments free, broader than the outer, with thin white edges and a yellowish keel, the apices brownish, more obtuse and more spreading than the outer. Filaments filiform-flattened, the 3 inner narrower and lengthening in advance of the 3 outer, with their anthers in turn exserted 1-2 mm Stigma at length exserted 2-3 mm. Ovary 8 mm long, 4 mm diam., finely 6-grooved, green.