Aloe gariepensis Pillans (1933b: 213)

Klopper, Ronell R., Grace, Olwen M., Klopper, Arrie W., Smith, Gideon F. & Van, Abraham E., 2023, A taxonomic revision of Aloe sect. Purpurascentes (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), Phytotaxa 628 (1), pp. 1921-1935 : 1921-1935

2. Aloe gariepensis Pillans (1933b: 213) ( Fig. 10 )

Type :— NAMIBIA: Near Warmbad , hills near Marinka’s Spring, September 1931, N. S. Pillans 6557 (holotype BOL BOL140197 ! [https:// plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.bol140197])

Designation not validly published:—‘ Aloe gariusana Dinter’ (1928: 31), nom. nud. Type not cited (Types are for names not designations).

Description:— Sub-acaulescent plants; rosettes usually solitary. Stem absent to short, up to 1 m, usually unbranched or sometimes branched, procumbent to erect; with persistent dried leaves. Leaves densely rosulate, erect to slightly incurved, dull green to reddish brown, clearly lineate, copiously white-spotted on both surfaces in young plants, some spots on upper surface in mature plants, lanceolate-attenuate, 30–40 cm long, 5–8 cm wide at base; margin with small, sharp, deltoid, reddish brown teeth, 2–4 mm long, 5–15 mm apart; exudate pale yellow, drying yellow to amber. Inflorescences 2 to 5 simultaneously, 0.8–1.5 m high, erect, simple. Peduncle 15–22 mm wide and plano-convex below, terete upwards, reddish green to pale brown; with many ovate, long-acuminate sterile bracts, 25–35(–45) mm long, 12–25 mm wide at base, scarious, pale, yellowish, many-nerved. Raceme narrowly cylindric-acuminate, 35–50 cm long, ± 7 cm wide, erect, dense; buds erect to spreading, flowers nodding to pendulous when open; youngest buds obscured by imbricate bracts. Floral bracts lanceolate, 17–25 mm long, 5–10 mm wide, pale, thin, sub-scarious, 5- to 7-nerved. Pedicels (7–) 15–23 mm long, greenish yellow. Flowers: perianth red or yellow in bud, yellow to greenish yellow at maturity, (15–) 20–27 mm long, 4–5 mm across ovary, slightly widening to 6–8 mm towards middle, slightly narrowing to 4–5 mm towards slightly upturned mouth, cylindric-trigonous; outer segments free almost to base, tips slightly spreading; stamens with filiform-flattened filaments, included portion lemon, exserted portion turning deep brown, exserted 4–7 mm; ovary 4–5 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm diameter, green to greenish yellow; style light greenish yellow, exserted 4–9 mm.

Diagnostic characters:— Aloe gariepensis is easily distinguished by its long narrow unbranched raceme and long floral bracts. Leaves are striate and usually turn pink or bright reddish brown during dry periods. Racemes are long cylindric-acuminate and 35–50 cm long. Pedicels are only 15–23 mm long. Floral bracts (17–25 mm) are much longer than the pedicels. Leaf exudate does usually not dry purple (dries yellow to amber).

Distribution:— Along both sides of the Orange River Valley from Grootderm to Keimoes in the Northern Cape of South Africa and as far north as Warmbad in Namibia. Endemic to the lower Orange River Valley and the Gariep Centre of Endemism ( Van Wyk & Smith 2001).

Habitat:— Rock cracks on steep rocky slopes, often facing the Orange River in the driest part of its course.

Elevation:— 20–1 020 m

Flowering time:— July–September

Etymology:— From the Khoikoigowab (Nama) name Gariep (!garib = large river) for the Orange River in South Africa; refers to its occurrence along the Orange/Gariep River.

General notes:— Aloe gariepensis is extremely variable across different localities. At Grootderm in the west of its distribution range, plants are smaller, mostly acaulescent, with red leaves and unicoloured yellow racemes. At Keimoes, in the east of its range, plants are considerably more robust with stems of up to 1 m that are densely covered in dried persistent leaves, leaves are larger and more green, and inflorescences taller. Leaves are always lineate, but can be entirely without spots to copiously white-spotted at various localities. Inflorescences can be unicoloured yellow or bicoloured with red buds and yellow flowers ( Reynolds 1950).

Additional specimens examined:— SOUTH AFRICA. Northern Cape: Alexander Bay Dist., Beauvallon, 30 August 1985, H.F. Glen 1495 ( PRE); Farm Grootderm, 25 July 1937, G.W. Reynolds 2555 ( K, PREm); s. coll. s.n. ( NBG); July 1967, J. Admiraal & D.S. Hardy 1151 ( PRE); 16 July 2010, R.R. Klopper & A.W. Klopper 376 & 377 (KMGgmc, PREgmc). Richtersveld, De Hoop, 1 September 1977, E.G.H. Oliver, H.R. Tölken & S. Venter 382 (PREm). Namaqualand Distr. , Richtersveld, Rooiberg Concervancy area , NNE of Eksteensfontein, 8 August 2011, S.P. Bester 10676 (PREm). Bushmanland, Abbassaberg, 16 August 2011, E.J. van Jaarsveld 23822 ( PRE). Aggeneys, 26 March 1985, E.J. van Jaarsveld & J. D. Kritzinger 8046 ( NBG). Gordonia, Lutzputs, Molopo N of Kakamas , J. van der Vyver PRE38430 & PRE38436 (PREm). Augrabies Waterval Nasionale Park [Augrabies Falls National Park], 9 September 1996, P.C. Zietsman 3464 B ( NMB, PRE); Great Bushmanland, Kakamas , August 1931, N.S. Pillans 6794 ( BOL). Gordonia, NW of Kakamas, 30 August 1961, O.A. Leistner & V.P. Joynt 2855 ( K, PREm). Gordonia Division, Keimoes, September 1927, F.C. Kolbe 20503 ( BOL). Upington , Keimoes, August 1929, H.W.R. Marloth 14031 ( PRE); 12August 1964, H. Hall 1680 (NBGm). Keimoes, W of Upington , 10 September 1949, G.W. Reynolds 5503 ( K, PREm). Keimoes, on road to Upington , just outside Keimoes opposite De Werf, 23 July 2010, R.R. Klopper & A.W. Klopper 407 ( KMGgc, PREgc) & 408 ( NBGgc, PREgc). Gordonia Div ., Kakamas , 23 August 1954, G.J. Lewis 4385 / SAM 68247 ( PREm, SAM). Upington Dist. , N of Kakamas , 24 August 1954, A.J. Middlemost 1878 (NBGm). Great Namaqualand, Pofadder, 3 October 1956, Kirstenbosch Expedition NBG 732 /54 ( NBG). Pofadder, farm Boomrivier, 29 September 2006, R.R. Klopper & A.W. Klopper 235 ( KMG, PREm); Boomrivier , on Slangberg, 21 July 2010, R.R. Klopper & A.W. Klopper 397 ( KMGgc, PREgc) & 398 ( NBGgc, PREgc). Namaqualand Dist. , N of Steinkopf , 7 July 1952, H. Hall N.B.G. 485/52 ( BOL, NBG). Pellaberg , 27 March 1985, E.J. van Jaarsveld & J.D. Kritzinger 8063 ( NBG) . NAMIBIA. Luderitz District, Geelperahoek, 15 July 1970, W. Jankowitz 225/562 ( WIND). Namuskluft, 17 August 2012, M. Koekemoer 4317 ( PREm). Ai-ais Reserve , 30 June 1986, E.J. van Jaarsveld 8705 ( NBG). Luderitz, Lorelei Copper Mine , 14 September 1958, B. de Winter & J.W.H. Giess 6368 ( BOL, K, PRE, WIND); 16 September 1966, D.S. Hardy 2314 ( PREm). Kahanstal , Lorelei , 15 September 1973, J.W.H. Giess 12973 ( PREm, WIND). Luderitz-Sud , Spitzkop LUS111, 24 September 1972, H. Merxmueller & W. Giess 28817 ( WIND). Namaqualand , Skilpadberg, NE of Oranjemund , October 1994, G.F. Williamson 5508 ( NBGm). Karasburg District , Haib River mouth , N from Noordoewer, 19 October 2005, H. Kolberg & T. Tholkes HK1729 ( K, WIND). Warmbad, 30 July 1924, M.K. Dinter 5211 ( BOL, K, PREm, SAM); 20 July 1937, G.W. Reynolds 2528 ( K, PREm); G.W. Reynolds 2529 ( BOL, PREm); 13 September 1959, D.S. Hardy 198 ( PREm). Warmbad, on D206 just outside Warmbad , 20 July 2010, R.R. Klopper & A.W. Klopper 391 & 392 ( PREgmc, WINDgmc). Warmbad Dist. , Namib near Goodhouse Drift, June 1926, H.W.R. Marloth 13249 ( PREm). Sperlingputs Farm , SW of Warmbad , 20 July 1937, G.W. Reynolds 2531 ( K, PREm). Sandfontein WAR 148 , 05 August 1976, J.W.H. Giess 14510 ( PRE, WIND). Between Goodhouse Poort and Geidip , 29 August 1989, A.E. van Wyk 8747 ( PRE, WIND). Nakop , E of Nakop , 23 August 1938, J. van der Vyver PRE38422 ( K, PREm) .

Figures

FIGURE 10. Aloe gariepensis. A. Known distribution (red shading). B. Small, single, acaulescent rosette with short, uniform yellow inflorescences. C. Rosette of reddish brown, clearly lineate leaves with no white spots. D. Big, caulescent rosette with tall, bicoloured inflorescences. E. Yellow buds and flowers on a unicoloured raceme. F. Red buds and yellow open flowers on a bicoloured raceme. Photographs: Arrie W. Klopper (B, C. Grootderm, near Orange River, Northern Cape, South Africa; D–F. Warmbad, Namibia; July 2010).