Aloe gracilis

Aloe gracilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Aloe
Species: A. gracilis
Binomial name
Aloe gracilis
Lam.

Aloe gracilis (or the Rocket Aloe) is a climbing aloe, endemic to the area around the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Its natural range lies just to the west of the related climbing aloe Aloe ciliaris, and it occurs in bushy fynbos and thickets, and clustered on rocky outcrops at all altitudes.

Appearance

Its thin stems grow tall and erect from its base on the ground, often reaching 2 meters in length, and branching near the base. When it is not climbing on other vegetation or fences, the mass of semi-erect stems forms a shrubby bush. Its narrow, succulent leaves are dull-green with tiny, soft, white teeth along the margins, and it normally flowers from May, through to August.

It can easily be distinguished from other climbing aloes by its long (45mm), thin, bright red flowers which appear on multi-branched racemes. [1]

Distribution

Aloe gracilis is naturally restricted to a relatively small area around (and just to the west of) the city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. This region is a transition zone in the Cape Floral Kingdom, between the Fynbos vegetation of the Western Cape, and the Albany thickets of the Eastern Cape. [2] Aloe gracilis is adapted to this transitional fynbos, though due to its popularity as an ornamental garden plant it is now also grown in gardens around southern Africa. [3]

Due to its natural vegetation being prone to seasonal fires, this Aloe has evolved the ability to re-sprout from its rootstock after being burnt.

Relatives and subspecies

The rare and declining Langeberg Rambling Aloe (Aloe decumbens), which grows far to the west in the Langeberg mountains in the Western Cape, is sometimes described as being merely an isolated subspecies of Aloe gracilis. [4] [5]

Aside from the controversial Langeberg Rambling Aloe, this plant's closest relative is Aloe striatula, a larger and more robust climbing aloe that occurs further inland in the Eastern Cape mountains. However Aloe gracilis can easily be distinguished by its erect (rather than recurved) leaves, its sparse, multi-branched racemes of red flowers, and its relatively thinner stem.

Its species name "gracilis" means "slender", and refers to the plant's thin, graceful stems. [6]


See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aloe gracilis.

References

  1. ↑ Smith, G.F. & Van Wyk, B.-E. 2008. Aloes in Southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town. ISBN 978-1-875093-04-5
  2. ↑ http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=2206-103
  3. ↑ Reynolds, G.W. 1950. The aloes of Southern Africa. Balkema, Cape Town.
  4. ↑ http://www.succulents.co.za/aloes/rambling-aloes/aloe-gracilis.php
  5. ↑ http://www.kew.org/conservation/CITES_Checklists/CITESAloe%26PachypodiumChecklist.pdf
  6. ↑ http://www.succulents.co.za/aloes/rambling-aloes/index.php
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