Aloe praetermissa

Overview

Aloe praetermissa is distributed in southern Oman. It is usually solitary, with dull grey-green leaves, a strongly branched inflorescence and pink to coral-red flowers. [1, 2]

Classification and nomenclature

Accepted name: Aloe praetermissa T.A.McCoy & Lavranos [1]
Protologue bibliography: Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 74: 27 (2002). [1, 2]
Type locality and type material: Southern Arabia, Dhofar Province, Oman, Qara Mountains west of Mughsayl; limestone; collected 27 October 2000; MO. The collection number differs between sources: McCoy 2298 / T. A. McCoy 2289. [2, 3]

Etymology

The epithet praetermissa derives from Latin praetermissus, “overlooked” or “neglected”, referring to the species having remained scientifically unrecognized for a long time. [2, 4]

Key characteristics

Growth form

Acaulescent or with a stem up to 40 cm long; usually solitary, occasionally forming 2–3 rosettes. [2]

Leaves

Leaves 10–18, 28–45 cm long, dull grey-green; adult leaves are unspotted, whereas juvenile leaves are heavily white-spotted. [2]

Leaf surface and margin

The margin is pink and cartilaginous, entire or with occasional soft, pinkish to white deltoid teeth 1–2 mm long. [2]

Inflorescence and flowers

The inflorescence reaches 120 cm and is profusely branched; the perianth is cylindrical-trigonous, pink to coral-red and 22–28 mm long. [2, 3]

Distribution

POWO records the species from S. Oman. McCoy (2019) and Carter et al. (2011), however, report it mainly on the sea-facing Dhofar escarpment from east of Mirbat westward to around Hawf beyond the Oman–Yemen border. [1, 2, 3]

Habitat

Habitats range from lowland arid wadi beds to seasonally moist montane forest, mainly on limestone. Elevation is given as 0–800 m by McCoy (2019) and about 1,000 m by Carter et al. (2011), with precipitation during the Khareef and additional moisture from dense fog. [2, 3]

Main references

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online: Aloe praetermissa T.A.McCoy & Lavranos (accessed 2026-09-24). Source
McCoy, T. (2019). The Aloes of Arabia. McCoy Publishing, Temecula, California.
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p. 333.
Grace, O.M., Klopper, R.R., Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2011). The Aloe Names Book. Strelitzia 28. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. p. 125.

Updates

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