Aloe modesta Reynolds

Plant acaulescent, succulent, small, solitary. Roots thick, fleshy, tapering, not fusiform. Stem none, with the leaves dilating and thickening below ground level and forming an ovoid bulb-like swelling about 25 mm long, 20 mm diameter. Leaves 4-8, rosulate, compactly ascending, 15-20 cm long, 8-9 mm broad at ground level, linear in lower half, gradually tapering to an acute apex; upper surface dull deep green, slightly canaliculate, without spots or markings; lower surface rounded, the colour of the upper surface copiously white-spotted near base only, the spots crowded, dull pale green, lenticular; margins with exceedingly narrow cartilaginous edge, straight, edentate. Inflorescence simple, 25-30 cm high. Peduncle 3-4 mm diam. low down, slightly thickening upwards, with several ovate-acuminate subscarious, sterile bracts, the lowest 15 mm long, 6-7 mm broad, 5-7-nerved, gradually smaller upwards. Raceme subcapitate, slightly conical, 35-40 mm long, 30-35 mm diam., very densely flowered, the buds suberect, open flowers subhorizontally spreading. Bracts lowest ovate-acuminate, 10 mm long, 6 mm broad, thin, subscarious, 3-5-nerved. Pedicels 1 mm long. Perianth yellowish-green, 13 mm long, cylindric-trigonous, basally obtuse, cylindric and 4 mm diam. across the ovary, thence trigonal with the mouth slightly upturned; outer segments free to the base, obscurely 3-nerved, apices subacute; inner segments spathulate, with broad thin white borders and with three crowded nerves forming a greenish keel throughout, the apices more obtuse than the outer. Filaments pale rose, filiform-flattened, the three inner narrower and lengthening before the three outer with their anthers in turn exserted 2-3 mm Stigma at length exserted 3-4 mm. Ovary green, 4 mm long, 2-5 mm diam., obtusely tapering into the style. Capsule not seen.