Aloe irafensis

Overview

Aloe irafensis is a small aloe known only from Jabal Iraf in southwestern Yemen. It is notable for dark, narrow leaves that remain distichous at maturity and laxly arranged dull-red flowers. [1, 2, 3]

Classification and nomenclature

Accepted name: Aloe irafensis Lavranos, T.A.McCoy & Al-Gifri [1]
Protologue bibliography: Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 80: 41 (2008) [1]
Type locality and type material: Yemen, Lahej Province, upper slopes of Jabal Iraf; McCoy 2669; holotype: FT; repositories: FT, UPS. [2, 3]

Etymology

The epithet refers to Jabal Iraf in southern Yemen, the type locality; -ensis indicates place of origin. [2, 4]

Key characteristics

Growth form

Plants are caulescent, decumbent to suberect, and offset from the base to form small groups. [2, 3]

Leaves

Leaves are prominently distichous, narrowly ensiform, about 20 cm long and 2–3 cm wide at the base. They are blackish to jade-green and may bear scattered elliptical white spots. [2, 3]

Leaf surface and margin

The leaf surface is rugose; the upper surface is flat to deeply canaliculate and the lower surface convex and the same colour. The margin is usually entire, but may carry a few small white teeth about 1 mm long. [2, 3]

Inflorescence and flowers

One to three inflorescences are produced successively, with up to ten branches. Racemes are oblique to suberect and laxly flowered; the perianth is cylindrical-trigonous, dull red and up to 20 mm long. Anthers are exserted by about 3 mm and the stigma by about 3.5 mm. [2, 3]

Distribution

Endemic to Yemen and confined to the Jabal Iraf mountain range in the southwest; the known locality lies just below the summit northwest of Aden. [1, 2, 3]

Habitat

It grows on rocky slopes in heavily degraded open dry forest just below the crest of Jabal Iraf, at 1,200–1,250 m with about 250 mm annual rainfall. The site is influenced by low cloud and fog and includes remnant Juniperus excelsa forest. [2, 3]

Main references

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP).
McCoy, T. (2019). The Aloes of Arabia. McCoy Publishing, Temecula, California. pp. 49–53.
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p. 485.
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. 78.

Updates

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