Aloe eremophila

Overview

Aloe eremophila is a highland aloe endemic to Hadhramaut in south-central Yemen. It forms rosettes of very rigid, glaucous leaves and erect inflorescences with dark red to scarlet flowers. [1, 2, 3]

Classification and nomenclature

Accepted name: Aloe eremophila Lavranos [1]
Protologue bibliography: J. S. African Bot. 31: 71 (1965) [2, 1]
Type locality and type material: Yemen, Hadhramaut, high limestone Jol east of Khuraibah (Wadi Dawan), 1,900 m, 20 March 1964, Rauh & Lavranos 13348; holotype: HEID. [2, 3]

Etymology

The epithet refers to the harsh semi-desert places where the species occurs. Sources gloss eremos as “desert” or “solitary, deserted”, and philos as “friend”. [2, 4]

Key characteristics

Growth form

Plants are principally solitary, sometimes forming small clusters. [2, 3]

Leaves

Leaves are lanceolate-deltoid, grey-green and glaucous, very rigid, about 35 cm long and about 10 cm wide at the leaf base. [2, 3]

Leaf surface and margin

Marginal teeth are dark brown, about 4 mm long and spaced 10–15 mm apart. [2, 3]

Inflorescence and flowers

Inflorescences are erect, 40–75 cm tall, with one or two produced simultaneously and 3–5 branches arising from about the middle; racemes are conical-cylindrical to cylindrical-acuminate and reach about 22 cm. The perianth is cylindrical to cylindrical-trigonous, glabrous and wax-coated, 28–30 mm long, chiefly dark red to scarlet, with yellow rarely recorded; anthers are exserted by about 4 mm and the stigma by about 5 mm. [2, 3]

Distribution

Endemic to Hadhramaut Governorate in south-central Yemen, centred on the high limestone Hadhrami Jol. [1, 2, 3]

Habitat

It grows on a limestone high plateau at 1,400–2,100 m in a dry environment with about 75 mm annual precipitation. Summers are extremely hot and humid; winters can be very cold, with occasional frost. [2, 3]

Main references

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP).
McCoy, T. (2019). The Aloes of Arabia. McCoy Publishing, Temecula, California. pp. 28–31.
Carter, S., Lavranos, J.J., Newton, L.E. & Walker, C.C. (2011). Aloes: The Definitive Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. pp. 320–321.
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. 54.

Updates

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