alooid species, de Jussieu, 1789

Smith, Gideon F., Figueiredo, Estrela, Verloove, Filip, Klopper, Ronell R. & Silva, Vasco, 2023, An annotated catalogue of Aloe and Aloiampelos (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) naturalised and escaped in continental Portugal, Phytotaxa 629 (1), pp. 35-52 : 46

Identification key to the variously naturalised or casual and escaped alooid species recorded for continental Portugal

1. Racemes distinctly capitate; flowers basally sub-globose-inflated; leaves at maturity adaxially spotted with H-shaped or irregularly-shaped, whitish maculations......................................................................................................................................... Aloe maculata

1’. Racemes broadly or narrowly cone-shaped; flowers not basally globose-inflated; leaves at maturity lacking whitish maculations .. ............................................................................................................................................................................................................2

2. Plants low-growing, lacking a stem or with short stem up to 0.5 m long..........................................................................................3

2’. Plants tall-growing, with distinct, usually much-branched stems and branches, stem> 0.5 m .........................................................4

3. Flowers bright orangey red ............................................................................................................................................ Aloe × nobilis

3’. Flowers yellow ..................................................................................................................................................................... Aloe vera

4. Stem and branches robust, ascending; sheathing leaf base lacking cilia ................................................................. Aloe arborescens

4’. Stem and branches thin, variously scrambling; sheathing leaf base ciliate ..................................... Aloiampelos ciliaris var. ciliaris