Aloe dominella Reynolds, 1938

Klopper, Ronell R., Crouch, Neil R., Smith, Gideon F. & van Wyk, Abraham E., 2020, A synoptic review of the aloes (Asphodelaceae, Alooideae) of KwaZulu-Natal, an ecologically diverse province in eastern South Africa, PhytoKeys 142, pp. 1-88 : 1

NE Aloe dominella Reynolds

Description.

Grass aloe, 0.3-0.4 m high. Stem up to 0.15 m, branched, suckering to form clumps, erect, with persistent dried leaves. Leaves rosulate, stiffly erect, dull green, upper surface without spots, lower surface with numerous small white spots near base, narrowly linear-lanceolate, attenuate, 7-35 cm long, 0.2-1.0 cm wide, widening to ± 25 mm at sheathing base; margin very narrow, white, cartilaginous, with firm white teeth, 0.5-1.0 mm long, 2-5 mm apart; exudate clear. Inflorescence 0.25-0.40 m high, erect, simple. Raceme capitate, ± 4 cm long, ± 8 cm wide, rather dense. Floral bracts up to 15 mm long, 3-4 mm wide. Pedicels 13-20 mm long. Flowers: perianth lemon-yellow, 13-18 mm long, 4-5 mm across ovary, widening slightly towards mouth, cylindrical-trigonous, slightly clavate; outer segments free to base; stamens exserted 3-4 mm; style exserted to 7 mm.

Flowering time.

June-October.

Habitat.

Wedged between rocks in short grassland, often on steep, dry, rocky slopes.

Diagnostic characters.

Aloe dominella can be distinguished from other grass aloes in KwaZulu-Natal with unkeeled leaves that are usually narrower than 3.5 cm and that lack a bulb-like underground swelling ( Aloe linearifolia , Aloe micracantha , Aloe minima , Aloe nicholsii , Aloe parviflora and Aloe saundersiae ), by the rosulate, very narrow leaves (7-35 × 0.2-1.0 cm) that are stiffly erect in small tufts. The dull green leaves have numerous small white spots near the base on the lower surface. It is also characterised by the unbranched inflorescences (0.25-0.40 m high) with short, yellow flowers (13-18 mm long) that are carried in rather dense capitate racemes. Pedicels are 13-20 mm long. Rosettes are in groups.

Conservation status.

Near-threatened. Threats include overgrazing, alien invasives and poor recruitment owing to too frequent fires ( Raimondo et al. 2009).

Distribution.

Confined to the central highlands of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, from Estcourt to Vryheid; just entering southern Eswatini (Fig. 13 ).

Figures

Figure 13. Aloe dominella. Photo: SANBI, PRE Slide Collection.