Aloe saundersiae (Reynolds) Reynolds

Small acaulescent plants with fusiform roots; solitary or in small tufted groups. Leaves rosulate, narrowly linear, 10-16 to a rosette, 4-8 cm long, 3 mm, broad, spreading to recurved, basally amplexicaul and dilating to 10 mm broad below ground; upper surface slightly canaliculate, green, without spots; lower surface convex, green, immaculate or with a few white spots near base; margins armed with rather soft white deltoid teeth about 0.5 mm long, 1 mm distant near base, smaller and more crowded upwards. Inflorescence simple, 14-18 cm high. Peduncle terete, l-5 mm diam., sterile-bracteate from below the middle upwards with 5-8 scattered thin scarious white ovate-acuminate bracts 10-12 mm long, about 5-nerved, basally amplexicaul, spreading above. Raceme capitate, 20-25 mm long, 30-35 mm diam., 12-16-flowered, pale cream-pink (Pinkish-vinaceous R.C.S. XXVII) the buds sub-erect more congested, the open flowers laxer, horizontally disposed to sub-cernuous. Brads ovate-acuminate, thin, white, sub-scarious 7 mm long, 3-4 mm broad at base, about 5-nerved. Pedicels lowest 9-10 mm long, shorter upwards. Perianth 10-12 mm long, cylindric-trigonous, slightly ventricose, tapering at base into the pedicel, the mouth trigonous, slightly upturned, not at all bilabiate; outer segments free to base, 3-nerved, the apices sub-acute slightly spreading; inner segments free, not dorsally cohering to the outer, slightly longer and broader than the outer, with white marginal border, the apices more obtuse and more spreading than the outer, 3-nerved; the keel the colour of the perianth. Filaments filiform-flattened, the 3 inner slightly narrower and lengthening in advance of the 3 outer. Stamens and style as long as the perianth. Anthers and stigma not exserted. Ovary 2 mm long, 1 mm diam., brownish, very finely 6-grooved. Flowers late February to early March.