Aloe, 41 



155(318). A. ciliaris, Haw. — The typical A. ciliaris is not un- 

 common in the bush near Grahamstown, and is frequently grown 

 in gardens. It flowere about October. Through Mr. E. Tidmarsh 

 I received in 1900 a plant (grown in the garden of Lark's 'Hotel, 

 close to Grahamstown, and probably derived from the immediate 

 neighbourhood), which at first I was disposed to regard as a new 

 species, but which may perhaps be better regarded as a variety 

 of A. ciUaris. I append a description : — 



A. ciliaris Haw., var. Tidmarshi, Schonl, nova var. Stem 

 many yards long when fully developed, sarmentose, richly 

 branched ; branches terete, about :^in. diam., not striated, green ; 

 leaves sheathing at base,i covering entirely the internodes 

 which are about ^inch long, ' sheaths light reddish or greenish 

 striped with the same tint, but darker ; leaves lanceolate acute 

 about 4in. long, concave, about 1^" broad where the sheath begins 

 above with margins distinctly rolled in, texture somewhat firmer 

 than in A. ciliaris, marginal teeth very minute,' getting bigo-er 

 lower down, but even then not longer than 1'" on the sheath, and 

 very thin there, which is in marked contrast with A. ciliatis ; 

 inflorescence lateral, though subterminal ; peduncle compressed at 

 base and with 2 opposite minute wings, about (S in. long, and pro- 

 vided with 3 or 4 empty bacts ; raceme 4-G" long, rather lax, ped- 

 icels about <S" long, ascending, bracts narrow lanceolate, about half 

 the length of the ptdicels ; perianth almost cylindrical, gradually 

 getting a little wider near the apex and with an almost imper- 

 ceptible curvature, J" long, bright coral red with the exception of 

 the segments which are pale greenish-yellow ; inner perianth 

 leaves (as in A. ciliaris) quite free, spatulate, greenish-yellow at 

 the tips, lighter towards the base ; filaments much more slender 

 than in A. ciliaris. Stamens and style ultimately slightly exserted. 



It will be seen that this variety, besides other differences from 

 A. ciliaris is smaller in all parts and its leaf-bases are not decided- 

 ly ciliated. 



It is strange that Mr. Baker has made no reference in the Flora Capensis 

 to the leaf-sheaths, which are found well developed in A. ciliaris 

 and allied species, but are also more or less indicated in so many others. 

 This becomes sometimes misleading. For instance, with reference to 

 A. striatula (Flora Cap. VI p. 318), it is stated that the internodes are 

 conspicuously striped with green, whereas only the leaf-sheaths are 

 striped and not the imderlying internodes. 



