Aloe shadensis

Overview

Aloe shadensis is a solitary aloe endemic to Saudi Arabia and recorded from Jabal Shada and nearby mountainous localities. It forms a rosette of grey to grey-green leaves, with an erect inflorescence reaching up to 170 cm and a perianth recorded as reddish-pink, pale red, or yellow. [1, 2, 3]

Classification and nomenclature

Accepted name: Aloe shadensis Lavranos & Collen. [1]
Protologue bibliography: Cactus and Succulent Journal (US) 72(2): 82 (2000) [1, 2, 3]
Type locality and type material: Saudi Arabia, Hijaz Province, granite monolith of Jabal Shada. Collenette 6718, holotype K. [2, 3]

Etymology

The epithet shadensis refers to Jabal Shada, the type locality. [2, 4]

Key characteristics

Growth form

It is solitary and rosulate, stemless or occasionally with a short decumbent stem. [2, 3]

Leaves

The leaves are linear-lanceolate to lanceolate-attenuate and grey to grey-green. The reddish-brown cartilaginous margin bears brown hooked teeth. [2, 3]

Inflorescence and flowers

The inflorescence is erect and reaches up to 170 cm. Racemes are conical to cylindrical-acuminate and densely flowered. The perianth is narrow-cylindrical to cylindrical-trigonous and may be reddish-pink, pale red, or yellow. [2, 3]

Distribution

Endemic to Saudi Arabia, with records from Jabal Shada, Wadi Taruf (Wadi Qilwa), and near Thee Ain at Mikwa. Another account describes it as apparently restricted to Jabal Shada and a few nearby mountainous localities. [1, 2, 3]

Habitat

It grows at 750–1,800 m on steep rocky slopes, less often on level wadi banks, on granite or fine-grained metamorphic rocks. Annual rainfall is about 200–250 mm. [2, 3]

Main references

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP).
McCoy, T. (2019). The Aloes of Arabia. McCoy Publishing, Temecula, California. pp. 121–124.
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p. 371.
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. 141.

Updates

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