Aloe pendens

Overview

Aloe pendens is a cliff-dwelling aloe endemic to the Great Arabian Escarpment in western Yemen, forming small clusters with slender pendent stems. The leaves are narrowly sword-shaped and the flowers are usually yellow, only infrequently dark red. [1]

Key characteristics

Growth form

Caespitose, forming small clusters with pendent stems. [1]

Leaves

Leaves are up to 20 cm long and 15 mm wide, distichous on younger stems and later rosulate. [1]

Inflorescence and flowers

Inflorescences are simple and arcuate-ascending. The perianth is about 18 mm long, usually yellow and infrequently dark red. [1]

Distribution

Endemic to Yemen, in a limited part of the Great Arabian Escarpment from Al-Hadiyah eastwards to near Qosmah (Kusmah) and north towards the Jabal Raymah massif. [1]

Habitat

It grows on steep cliffs and, infrequently, adjacent rocky slopes on superimposed basalt sheets. On Jabal Raymah it occurs on columnar basalt outcrops, at 1,500–2,300 m. [1, 2]

Etymology

The epithet pendens refers to the pendent growth form and is derived from Latin pendens, “hanging”. [1, 3]

Classification and nomenclature

Accepted name: Aloe pendens Forssk. [4, 3]
Protologue bibliography: Published in Flora Aegyptiaco-Arabica: 74 (1775). [4, 1, 2]
Type locality and type material: The type material is Forsskål s.n. from Hadie (Hadiyah), Yemen; McCoy (2019) gives coordinates 14°32′N, 43°43′E and reports the lectotype at C. [1, 2]
Synonyms: Aloe arabica Lam. [3, 4]

Aloe dependens Steud. [3, 4]

Main references

McCoy, T. (2019). The Aloes of Arabia. McCoy Publishing, Temecula, California. pp. 283–288.
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p. 482.
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. 117–118.
World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP).

Updates

Classification, distribution and descriptive information are revised as new sources are verified or taxonomic treatments change.