Aloe parviflora Baker

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

E Aloe parviflora Baker

Description.

Grass aloe. Acaulescent, rosettes solitary, erect. Leaves few, distichous to rosulate, spreading, deciduous, bright green, lower surface with nerves and numerous spinulescent white spots especially towards base, texture tuberculate-muricate, lorate-linear, attenuate at base, apex obtuse, 20-25 cm long, 0.6-0.8 cm wide; margin ciliate with minute white crowded teeth; exudate clear. Inflorescence 0.4 m high, erect, simple. Raceme capitate, ± 3 cm long, 3 cm wide, dense. Floral bracts 8-12 mm long. Pedicels 8-12 mm long. Flowers: perianth pale rose, 8 mm long, widening slightly towards middle, narrowing towards mouth, straight or slightly decurved, shortly cylindrical; outer segments free to base; stamens and style not exserted.

Flowering time.

January-March.

Habitat.

Short grassland, on level or gently sloping areas on the summit of hills, in shallow soil over exposed sloping sandstone rock sheets and in rocky places with thin soil and sparse grass.

Diagnostic characters.

Aloe parviflora 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 dominella , Aloe linearifolia , Aloe micracantha , Aloe minima , Aloe nicholsii and Aloe saundersiae ), by the distichous to rosulate, spreading, lorate-linear leaves (20-25 × 0.6-0.8 cm) that are distinctly muricate with soft spinulescent white spots on the lower surface. It is further characterised by the peduncle, which has numerous small spines on the lower part. The unbranched inflorescences (0.4 m high) have dense, capitate racemes with pedicels 8-12 mm long and very small, pale rose flowers (8 mm long). Rosettes are solitary.

Conservation status.

Vulnerable. Threats include habitat loss and degradation owing to urban expansion, as well as alien invasives, overgrazing and incorrect fire management (L. von Staden pers. comm.).

Distribution.

Confined to a small area between Pinetown and Cato Ridge in central KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Fig. 31 ).

Notes.

Aloe parviflora is sometimes considered to be conspecific with Aloe minima Baker ( Glen and Hardy 2000).

Figures

Figure 31. Aloe parviflora. Photo: N. R. Crouch.