Aloe dhufarensis

Overview

Aloe dhufarensis is an aloe of dry limestone habitats from southeastern Yemen to southern Oman. It is usually solitary, with heavily wax-coated bluish-grey to grey leaves and light pink to coral-red flowers. [1, 2, 3]

Classification and nomenclature

Accepted name: Aloe dhufarensis Lavranos [1]
Protologue bibliography: Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 39: 167 (1967) [2, 1]
Type locality and type material: Oman, Dhofar coast, dissected plateau southeast of the entrance to Wadi Urzuq, about 250 m, 13 January 1966, Lavranos 4337; holotype: PRE. [2, 3]

Etymology

The epithet refers to Dhofar Governorate, Oman; the suffix -ensis indicates place of origin. [2, 4]

Key characteristics

Growth form

Plants are acaulescent and usually solitary, forming a rosette of erect leaves. [2, 3]

Leaves

Leaves are recorded as deltoid-acuminate or ovate-acuminate, up to 45 cm long, about 14 cm wide at the base and 12–15 mm thick. They are smooth and soft, recorded as bluish-grey to almost white-grey or bluish-green to grey, with a heavy waxy coating. [2, 3]

Leaf surface and margin

The upper leaf surface is flattened lower down and becomes slightly canaliculate toward the acute apex. The lower surface is slightly convex and the same colour as the upper surface; the margin is recorded as entire or with infrequent teeth. [2]

Inflorescence and flowers

One inflorescence is produced, occasionally up to three simultaneously; recorded heights are to 90 cm or up to 100 cm. Racemes are cylindrical-acuminate. The perianth is cylindrical or cylindrical-trigonous, wax-coated, 28–30 mm long and light pink to coral-red; anthers and stigma are each exserted by about 8 mm. [2, 3]

Distribution

Distributed from southeastern Yemen to southern Oman, from Jabal Samhan in Dhofar westward into Yemen Al-Mahra to Jabal Hadaba and Ras Fartaq. [1, 2]

Habitat

It mainly occupies dry limestone on the inland plateau from near sea level to about 1,000 m. It is recorded in areas with less than 150 mm annual rainfall and favours drier Dhofar and Al Mahra sites rather than moister fog zones. [2, 3]

Main references

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP).
McCoy, T. (2019). The Aloes of Arabia. McCoy Publishing, Temecula, California. pp. 136–143.
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p. 271.
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. 48.

Updates

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