Descriptions of Some Neio Aloes from tlie Transvaal. 33 
The stem is very rarely branched and seldom exceeds a foot or two 
in height. It is usually covered with the dried or charred remains of 
the old leaf bases. 
The leaves are stiffer than those of A. pluridens or A. arborescens, 
and lack their falcate character. The reddish thorns w^hich beset the 
margins of the leaves are also more robust and pungent than those which 
occur in A. pluridens or A. arborescens. 
The tall branched inflorescence forms the most striking feature of 
the plant, and when one compares it with that of A. lineata, which is 
unbranched and differs in many other important respects, it seems 
almost incredible that A. Fretoriensis should have been mistaken by so 
many botanists for A. lineata, as has been done. 
This handsome plant occurs on the northern slopes of the hills 
around Pretoria, and is especially abundant on Meintjes Kop, where 
and when in bloom it attracts large numbers of brightly coloured sun- 
birds. It is also found near Lydenberg, at Barberton, and along the 
foot of the Lebombo range of mountains. 
It usually flowers in May. 
Description. — Stem short, sometimes reaching 1 metre in length 
and 8-12 cm. in diam. 
Leaves numerous 80-60 in a dense rosette, arcuate-erect, 30-65 cm. 
long, 3-7 cm. broad at the base, 8-10 mm. thick, lanceolate and dis- 
tinctly acuminate, flat above, slightly canaliculate towards the tip, convex 
below, light green or slightly glaucous armed along the margin with 
sharply pointed red, horny prickles, which are 3-4 mm. long and 
10-17 mm. apart. Tips of most of the older leaves withered and reddish 
in colour. 
Inflorescence 2-3'5 metres long ; peduncle stout and branched, from 
2-8 branches, erect-patent, subtended by deltoid-ovate bracts at the 
base ; racemes conical-cylindrical 15-50 cm. long, dense, with loosely 
pendulous flowers, floral bracts ovate-deltoid, many-veined, at first 
densely imbricate, 15-20 mm. long and 10-12 mm. broad ; pedicels 
20-25 mm. long. 
Perianthium cylindricum, slightly swollen towards the middle and 
tapering towards the tip, rich peach red, 40-43 mm. long, segments free, 
yellowish green at the tips. 
Anthers and style shortly exserted, filaments and style greenish 
yellow, anthers reddish brown. 
Capsule enwrapped with the dry perianth, cylindrical, 3-angled, 
15-18 mm. long and about 6 mm. broad, greyish ; fruit-bearing pedicels 
25-30 mm. long, erect. 
Seeds small, very narrowly 3-winged, dark, 2-4 mm. long. 
3 
