A L O 



A L O 



stamina have awl-shaped filaments, as long as 

 the corolla, or longer, inserted into the recepta- 

 cle ; the anthers oblong and incumbent : the 

 pistillum is an ovate germ ; the style simple, of 

 the length of the stamina ; the stigma obtuse 

 and trifid : the pericarpium is an oblong capsule, 

 three-furrowed, three-celled, and three-valved ; 

 the seeds are several, and angular. 



The species are very numerous, but those of 

 the most curiosity and beauty are : 1 . A. dicho- 

 tnma, Smooth-stemmed Tree Aloe ; 2. A. perfo- 

 liata, Perfoliate Aloe; 3. A. arachnoides, Cobweb 

 Aloe ; 4. A. murgaritifera, Pearl Aloe ; 5. A. ver- 

 rucosa, Warted or Pearl-tongue Aloe ; 6. A. ca- 

 rh/atii, Keel-leaved Aloe; J . A. metadata, Spot- 

 ted Aloe ; 8. A. Lingua, Tongue Aloe ; 9. A. 

 plicatilis, Fan Aloe; 10. A. variegata, Partridge- 

 breast Aloe; 1 1. A. viscosa, Upright Triangular 

 Aloe; 12. A. spiral!':, Spiral Aloe; 13. A. re- 

 turn, Cushion Aloe; 14. A. splcataj. Spiked 

 Aloe. 



The first lias the trunk round, upright, very 

 stiff, ash-coloured, smooth, and of an extremely 

 even surface, dichotomausly branched at top, 

 two fathoms in height, the thickness of a man's 

 thigh. The branches are dichotomous, upright ; 

 a foot and more in length, leafy at top. The 

 leaves are perfoliate, sword -shaped, and tooth- 

 leted, convex beneath, flat above, from spread- 

 ing becoming upright, smooth, fleshy, a foot 

 long, the upper ones gradually smaller. It is a 

 native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



The second species grows to the height of ten 

 or twelve feet, with a strong naked stem, the 

 leaves growing at the top, and closely em- 

 bracing the stem ; they are about two inches 

 broad at the base, growing narrower to a point, 

 and are reflex, and indented on their edges, each 

 being armed with a strong crooked spine. The 

 leaves are of a sea-green colour, and very succu- 

 lent. The flowers grow in pyramidal spikes, and 

 are of a bright red colour. They are in beauty 

 in November and December. 



In the new edition of Miller's Dictionary, by 

 professor Martyn, the Narrow-leaved Sword 

 Aloe, or Aloe arlorescens ; the Broad-leaved 

 Sword Aloe, or Aloe Africana; the Barbadoes 

 Aloe, or Aloe Barbadensis ; the Succotrine Aloe, 

 or Aloe Succotrina ; the White-spined Glaucous 

 Aloe, or Aloe purpurascens ; the Red-spined 

 Glaucous Aloe, or Aloe glauca ; the Red-spined 

 Striped Aloe, or Aloe lineata ; the Great Hedge- 

 hog Aloe, or Aloe ferox; the Great Soap Aloe, 

 or Aloe sapoitaria ; the Common Soap Aloe, or 

 Ahe olscura ; the Hollow-leaved Perfoliate Aloe, 

 or Aloe semdata; the Upright Perfoliate Aloe, or 

 Aloe suberecta ; the Short-leaved Perfoliate Aloe, 

 or Alot- depressa ; the Dwarf Hedgehog Aloe, or 



Aloe humUis ; the Great Mitre Aloe, or Aloe 

 mitrceformis ; and the Small Mitre Aloe, or Aloe 

 Irevifolia, are considered as varieties of the above 

 species. 



The Narrow-leaved Tree or Sword Aloe rises 

 with an erect, shrubby stem to some height, 

 sending forth long, narrow, reflex, indented, 

 spinous leaves, that embrace the stem at their 

 base, and a pyramidal spike of red-coloured 

 flowers. 



The Broad-leaved Sword Aloe resembles it 

 much ; but the leaves are broader, and have se- 

 veral spines on their backs towards their extre- 

 mities : the flowers also grow in a looser spike. 



The Barbadoes Aloe has the leaves about four 

 inches broad at their base, where they are near 

 two inches thick : they have a few indentures on 

 their edges ; are of a sea-green colour, and when 

 young are spotted with white. The flower-stem 

 rises near three feet high, and the flowers stand 

 in a slender loose spike, with very short pedun- 

 cles, and hang downwards : they are of a bright 

 yellow colour, and the stamens stand out beyond 

 the tube. But the form of the flowers, and the 

 manner of flowering, show it to be a variety of 

 the second species. Though generally known 

 by the name of Barbadoes Aloe, it is common in 

 the other islands of America, where the plants 

 are propagated on the poorest land, in order 

 to obtain the Hepatic Aloes. 



The Succotrine Aloe has long, narrow, succu- 

 lent leaves, which come out without any order, 

 and form large heads. The stalks grow three or 

 four feet high, and have two, three, and some- 

 times four of these heads branching out from it : 

 the lower leaves spread out on every side, but the 

 upper leaves turn inward towards the centre : the 

 flowers grow in long spikes, upon stalks about 

 two feet high, each standing on a pretty long 

 footstalk ; they are of a bright red colour tipped 

 with green ; and they generally appear in the winter 

 season. 



The Great Hedgehog Aloe rises to the height 

 of eight or ten feet, with a strong stem : The 

 leaves grow on the top, which closely embrace 

 the stalk ; they come out irregularly, and spread 

 every way ; and are near four inches broad at 

 their base, diminishing gradually to the top, 

 where they end in a. spine. They are of a dark 

 green colour, and closely beset with short thick 

 spines on every side. This sort has not yet flow- 

 ered in this country ; nor does it pat out suckers : 

 so that it is difficult of propagation. 



The Great Soap Aloe seldom rises much above 

 two feet in height. The leaves are very broad at 

 their base, where they closely embrace the stalk, 

 and gradually decrease to a point: the edges are 

 set with sharp spines, and the under leaves spread 

 H 3 



