I 



NAT. ORDER. 



LiliacecB. 



ALOE VULGARIS. THE AFRICAN ALOE. 



Class VII. Hexandr'a. Order I. Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Corolla erect, with a spreading, smooth, and nectarif- 

 erous bottom. Filaments inserted into the receptacle. 



Spe. Char. Floxccrs spiked, in corymbs, drooping, pedunclcd, sub- 

 cylindrical. Stem-leaves toothed, embracing, sheatliing. 



The root is perennial, strong and librous ; the Jlowci'-stcms rise from 

 two to six feet in height, varying according to the richness of the soil : 

 they are smooth, erect, of a silvery green color, and toward the top 

 beset with bracteal scales ; the leaves are first spreading, then ascend- 

 ing, of a glaucous green color, someAvhat mottled with darker spots, 

 flat on the upper surface, convex beneath, and armed with hard red- 

 dish spines, distant from each other, numerous perpendicular to the 

 margin, narrow, tapering, thick or fleshy, succulent, beset at edges 

 with spring teeth; the^oiversare produced in terminal spikes, and of 

 a purple or reddish color ; ca7i/x none ; the corolla is monopetalous, 

 tubular, nectariferous, cut into six narrow leaves, separating at 

 the mouth ; the filaments are six, which are tapering, yellowish, in- 

 serted into the receptacle, and furnished with oblong orange-colored 

 anthers ; the gcrmen is oblong, supporting a simple slender style, 

 about the length of the filaments, and terminated by an obtuse stigma ; 

 the capsule is oblong, and divided into three cells, three valves, and 

 contains many angular seeds. 



The Aloe Vulgaris is a native of south-eastern Europe and the 



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