156 



ALOE 



ALOE 



170. A good pot plant of aloe, 

 showing the offsets. 



aUu^" is the pR>dvict v>f .1. vera, ii species much planted 

 in the West Indies. Cieneni allied to Aloe are Apicra, 

 Clasteriii, Ilaworthiuj Paehidendnm, and Phyllonia. 

 The jrnnip is ditheult t\»r the botanist, there being few 

 authentie sptvimens in the herbaria, because of the large 

 size of the plants, tlie infnH]Ufnt tlowcring, and the 

 dirtieultv of suitably tlrving them. Monograph by 

 Alwin lierger in DasPHanzenreirh. UlOS, hft. XI. 



Propagation is by seed, which usually is not true to 

 name, and by suckers or cut t ings well dried-olT. Branch- 

 ing for this purpose 

 may be it^ductnl by 

 searing the crown of 

 ^old plants. Hybrids 

 between the ditTer- 

 ent species and with 

 H'lated genera 

 are easily se- 

 cured and in- 

 teresting. 



Aloes are much 

 cultivated as dec- 

 orative plants, 

 being amongst the 

 most popular of 

 desert and succu- 

 lent plants for their 

 stifl", harsh and 

 rugged habit. Fig. 

 170. They are often grouped about large public build- 

 ings, where thej- empha.size certain architectural fea- 

 tures. Large collections are to be seen only in botanic 

 gardens and in the collections of a few fanciers. The 

 lai-gest dealer has nearly one hundred kinds, but grows 

 only five or six kinds in quantity. 



Old plants of Aloe will keep healthy for several years 

 in the same pots without a renewal of soil, and flower 

 freely at the same time. The soil most suited to their 

 needs is sandy loam three parts, lime rubble and broken 

 brick one part, with a little decayed manure to strengthen 

 the mixture. Ver>' firm potting is necessary. Drainage 

 is a more important item than soil, and must be per- 

 fectly arranged to enable the surplus water to run freely 

 from the soil. Broken bricks are preferable to pieces of 

 pots, large pieces for the bottom of the pot or tub, and 

 smaller pieces above, till the last layer is quite fine. 

 Some of the species need freer rooting conditions than 

 others. .*1. cilUiris will grow from 5 to 7 feet in a season. 

 A. abyssinica is of robust growth, and differs from 

 most others in the color of the flowers, which are pure 

 yellow, the others being mostly orange and orange- 

 scarlet. A. plicatilia makes an ornamental tub plant 

 when 4 or 5 feet high. Except during the period in which 

 the species are in active growth, they need very little 

 water, the principal idea being to keep the soil sweet 

 and porous even when in growth. At all times the 

 air of the house should be as dry as possible, full sun- 

 shine not hurting them. Propagation is by seeds, suck- 

 ers and cuttings. The arborescent kinds should be 

 rooted after they have completed growth. Dust over 

 the cut part of the cutting with powdered charcoal and 

 dr>' in sunshine before putting it in to root. Insert 

 singly in as small pots ;is they will go into, and plunge 

 in a sand-bed. Very little moisture is necessary while 

 rooting. (G. W. OUver.} 



ftbyiwinica, 23, 25. 

 acuminata, 6. 

 africana, 40. 

 aicavefolia, 22. 

 albbtpina, 3'i. 

 aUjf>-cincUi. 12. 

 aUjopicia, 25. 

 brbor*;a, 38. 

 arbor'jflciiui, 38. 

 arbttata, 5. 

 AtheriAfmei, 39. 

 aurarUiaca, 28. 



INDEX. 



Bainesii, 49. 

 bamanifwatensin, 15. 

 barhfulenHig, 21. 

 Barb*? r a?, 49. 

 iSnumii, 15. 

 Bedingkauiii, 5. 

 Beffuinii, 5. 

 BoIuhH, 40, 

 Boriiana, 12. 

 brachyphylla, 

 brevi/olia, .35. 

 Camperi, 23. 



13. 



candelabrum, 41. 

 chinensls, 21. 

 Chludomii, 5. 



ciliariH, 27. 

 Cornmcljnii, 33. 

 commutata, 19. 

 Coo peri, 1. 

 cornuta, 25. 

 cyanea, 6. 

 de L:j'tii, 27. 

 Derbetzii, 12. 

 DeBmetiana, 10. 



dichotoma. 48. 

 di^tuns, 35. 

 disticha, 13, 50. 

 drepunupliylla, 44. 

 echinata, G. 

 elegans. 24. 

 elouQata, 21. 

 croota, 25. 

 Eru. 25. 



crythrocarpa, 46. 

 ferox, 47. 

 ftabelti/ormis, 50. 

 Flauaganii, 27. 

 ^ara, 21. 

 flavi.spina, 33. 

 frutcsccnH, 38. 

 friiticosa, 38. 

 fulgens, 43. 

 Gatpinii, 40. 

 glauca, 9, 25. 

 grandidontata, 20. 

 Grecnii, 17. 

 Gi^sonii, 6. 

 Hanburiana. 12. 

 Haworthii, 10. 

 Henzei, 6. 

 Hildobrandtii, 29. 

 Hookcri, 25. 

 horrida, 47. 

 Hoyeri, 11. 

 liuniilis, 0. 

 imbricata, 10. 

 incurva, G. 

 ini/ica. 21. 

 inermis, 30. 

 insignis, 6. 

 Kirkii. 31. 

 kniphofioide.s, 4. 

 Iseiecocdneat 6. 

 Lauzfe, 21. 

 Lapaixii, 5. 

 latifolin, 13. 

 leiophylla, 5. 

 leptophylla, 12. 

 lingui/ormis, 50. 

 longiaristata, 5. 

 Lugardiaria, 15. 



INDEX, CONTINUED. 



Luntii, 30. 

 Lynchii, 12. 

 MaciU?nta. 6. 

 Macowaixii, 28. 

 macracantha. 14. 

 macrocarpa, 16. 

 inat-ulata, 18, 25. 

 jnnculosa, 13. 

 major, 16. 

 micracantha. 2. 

 minima, 3. 

 mifr.T/ormia, 35. 

 mitriformis, 33, 34, 



35. 

 montana, 48. 

 moTtolensia, 10. 

 imirirata, 9, 47. 

 natalcnsi-s. 38. 

 nuhilis, 34, 

 Nowatnyi, 5. 

 obHcura, 18. 

 officinalis, 21. 

 oligospeila, 12. 

 pachyphylla, 33. 

 pachythyrsa, 38. 

 paniculata, 12. 

 parvifolia. 5. 

 parvi-punctata, 25. 

 Pazii, 12. 

 Pcncockii, 23. 

 perfectioT, 5. 

 perfoliata, 6, 11, 13, 



18, 21, 35, 3G. 37, 



38. 47. 

 Perry i, 26. 

 picta, 18. 

 platyphylla, 15. 

 plicatilis, 50. 

 piuridena, 39. 

 pratensis, 8. 

 prorumpens, 5. 

 pKcudo ferox, 47. 

 paeudopicta, 18. 

 punctata, 10. 

 purpuraacens, 37. 

 ■Quehlii, 5. 

 Tfimosa, 37. 



Rebutii, 10. 

 Thiidacantha, 9. 

 rhodncincta, 12. 

 rubescens, 21. 

 rubroviolacea, 42 

 Salmdyckiana, 43. 

 saponaria, 13, 18. 

 saxigena, 36. 

 Schmidliann, 1. 

 Schimperi, 12. 

 Schccnlandii, 12, 

 semiguttntH, 6. 

 serrulata. 11. 

 Simoniana, 5. 

 sinuata, 37. 

 amaragdina, 10. 

 soccotrina, 36, 37. 

 sororia, 32. 

 epeciosa, 45. 

 spicata, 25. 

 apinosissima, 6. 

 spinulof^a. 33. 

 stenophylia, 12. 

 striata, 12. 

 striatula, 28. 

 suberecta, 6. 

 sub ferox, 47. 

 subtuberculata, 6. 

 succotrina. 36. 

 supraleevi.^, 46. 

 Tidmarshii, 27. 

 Todari, 6. 

 tricolor, 19. 

 Ucriffi, 38. 

 umbellata, 13. 

 variegata, 10. 

 Varvarii, 43. 

 vera, 21, 36. 

 virens, 7. 

 viridifolia, 38. 

 viilgarifi, 21, 23. 

 Winteri, 43. 

 xanthacantha, 33. 

 xanthostachys, 47. 

 zebrina, 15. 

 Zeyheri. 49. 



A. Lvs. clustered, rather few and thin, flaccidly erect, 



linear, concave, smooth, finely serrulate: st. very 

 short: infl. unbranched; fls. oblong or yiarrowed 

 upward; stamens included. (1-A-) 



B. Raceme short; pedicels elongated; fls. withdisiinct segms. 



c. Lvs, 2-ranked. 



1. Codperi, Baker {A. Schmidtiana, Regel). Some- 

 what cespitose: lvs. 1-2 x 12-40 in., faintly striate, 

 somewhat white-blotched: infl. 1-2 ft. high; fls. nodding, 

 1^-13^ in. long, yellowish or greenish white, rosy at 

 base, with distinct green-tipped segm. Cape. B.M. 

 6377. Ot. 970. Lyon Hort. 22,.p. 305. Wood & Evans, 

 Natal PI. 41. 



cc. Lvs. spirally arranged. 



2. micracantha, Haw. Lvs. M x IS in.: infl. 1 ft. 

 high; fl.s. nodding, 13^-1/2 in. long; red, the distinct 

 segm. green above or tipped and lined with green. Cape. 

 B.M. 2272. Sahn, Aloe §21, f. 1. 



3. minima, Baker. Lvs. 3^x6-8 in.: infl. 6-12 or 

 even 30 in. high; Ah. spreading, %-\]4 ^^- long, green- 

 ish white or the distinct segm. rosv tinged. Cape. 

 Hook. Icon. 2423. Wood, Natal PI. 338. 



BB. Raceme elongated; pedicels short; fl^. spreading or 

 ascending: lvs. spirally arranged. 



4. kniphofioides, Baker. Lvs. 3^x12-15 in.: infl. 

 2 ft. high; fla. ascending, 13^ in. long, pale red, with 

 very short segm. and long tube. Cape. Hook. Icon. 

 1939. 



A A. Lvs. Spirally rosulate (S-ranked in A. variegata), 



fleshy, acute or pungent: stamens little protruded. {5-26.) 



B. Plants synall: lvs. S-8 iyi. loyig: st. never tall: infl. 



racemose; pedicels lo7ig; fls. nearly cylindrical. 



c. The lvs. bristle-tipped, soft-toothed and warty: raceme 



rather short. 



5. aristata, Haw. {A. longiaristata, R. & S.). Lvs. 

 erect, triangular-lanceolate, H x 3-4 in., with a whip- 



