E Aloe pruinosa Reynolds

Common names.

Kleinaalwyn, slangkop (Afrikaans); icena elihkulu (Zulu).

Description.

Shortly caulescent plant, 0.25-0.60 m tall. Stem up to 0.5 m, unbranched, procumbent; rosettes solitary, erect. Leaves densely rosulate, erectly spreading to slightly recurved, bright green, with numerous white, somewhat H-shaped spots, scattered or confluent in wavy, irregular, interrupted, transverse bands, spots more numerous and in more defined transverse bands on lower surface, lanceolate-attenuate, 50-70 cm long, 8-10 cm wide at base; margin with deltoid, pungent, pale pinkish-brown teeth, 3-4 mm long, 15-20 mm apart; exudate honey-coloured, drying deep purple. Inflorescence 1.4-2.0 m high, erect, ± 11-branched above middle. Racemes cylindrical-acuminate, terminal up to 30 cm long, 7 cm wide, lateral shorter, usually 10-12 cm long, lax. Floral bracts 10-20 mm long. Pedicels 10-20 mm long. Flowers: perianth dull dark brownish-red to pinkish white, with heavy grey powdery bloom, 30-40 mm long, 8 mm across ovary, abruptly constricted above ovary to form globose basal swelling, widening towards mouth, sharply decurved, laterally compressed; outer segments free for 5-7 mm; stamens exserted 1-2 mm; style exserted 1-4 mm.

Flowering time.

February-March.

Habitat.

In shade in acacia savannah in KwaZulu-Natal midlands on heavy loam in areas of fairly high summer rainfall.

Diagnostic characters.

Aloe pruinosa can be distinguished from other maculate aloes in KwaZulu-Natal ( Aloe dewetii, Aloe maculata subsp. maculata, Aloe mudenensis, Aloe parvibracteata, Aloe prinslooi, Aloe suffulta, Aloe umfoloziensis, Aloe vanrooyenii and Aloe viridiana) by the tall, ± 11-branched inflorescence (1.4-2.0 m high) with the peduncle and flowers that are very heavily coated with a greyish powdery substance. The flowers, which are dull dark brownish-red to pinkish-white, 30-40 mm long and with a globose basal swelling (8 mm diameter), have the most pronounced powdery-covered leaves and inflorescence of all South African aloe species. It is further characterised by the erectly spreading to slightly recurved leaves (50-70 × 8-10 cm) that are spotted on both surfaces, with the spots more pronounced on the lower surface. Marginal teeth are 3-4 mm long. The lax racemes are cylindrical-acuminate, with the terminal one the longest (up to 30 × 7 cm) and the lateral ones usually 10-12 cm long (Smith et al. 1999).

Conservation status.

Endangered. Threats include urban expansion and harvesting for use in traditional medicine (Raimondo et al. 2009, L. von Staden pers. comm.).

Distribution.

Occurs from Pietermartizburg to Durban and northwards to the uThukela (Tugela) River valley, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Fig. 35).