Aloe antandroi
Aloe antandroi
Overview
Aloe antandroi is an accepted species from southwestern and southern Madagascar, with two subspecies currently accepted by WCVP: subsp. antandroi and subsp. toliarana. Jean-Bernard Castillon & Jean-Philippe Castillon (2010) describe the species as rather variable, with creeping forms in wet shade and more erect forms in dry situations. [1] [2]
Distribution
Southwestern and southern Madagascar [1]
Jean-Bernard Castillon & Jean-Philippe Castillon (2010) record the species from Tsiombe and Lavanono in the far south northwards to Toliara and the Manombo river, mainly near the coast but also inland around Ampanihy. [2]
Habitat
It is recorded from the southern limestone plateaus and generally on limestone ground. Carter et al. (2011) additionally record dry limestone rocks or rubble. [2] [3]
Relationships
Carter et al. (2011) state that the growth habit somewhat resembles A. tenuior, while the inflorescence and flower characters suggest affinity with A. millotii; they regard A. decaryi as possibly still closer and note that the two have often been confused. Jean-Bernard Castillon & Jean-Philippe Castillon (2010) compare A. decaryi as having spotless leaves and A. millotii as much smaller; only the French photo caption additionally compares the creeping form with A. antsingyensis from similar habitats. [3] [2]
Classification and nomenclature
- Accepted name
- Aloe antandroi (Decary) H.Perrier [1]
- Publication
- Mém. Soc. Linn. Normandie, Bot. 1: 19 (1926) [1]
- Nomenclatural history
- The taxon was first described by Decary in 1921 as a species of Gasteria and was subsequently transferred to Aloe. [3] [4]
- Source-specific taxonomic view
- Only the French column of Jean-Bernard Castillon & Jean-Philippe Castillon (2010) adds the authors’ view that A. decaryi and A. millotii could be treated as varieties of A. antandroi; the facing English column omits that sentence. It is retained here as a source-specific historical interpretation, separate from the current accepted classification. [2]
Etymology
The epithet antandroi refers to its occurrence at Antandroi in Madagascar or in the territory of the Antandroi tribe. [4]
References
- World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP).
- Castillon, J.-B. & Castillon, J.-P. (2010). Les Aloe de Madagascar / The Aloe of Madagascar. J.-P. Castillon. 400 pp.
- Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p. 537.
- Grace, O.M., Klopper, R.R., Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2011). The Aloe Names Book. Strelitzia 28. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. pp. 12–13.