Aloe mzimbana I.Verd. & Christian

Aloaceae, S. Kativu. Flora Zambesiaca 12:3. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, suckering to form dense groups of plants, acaulescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in a dense rosette, erect-spreading but curving inwards in the dry season; lamina 20–35 cm long, 7–8 cm wide toward the base, ovate-lanceolate, greyish-green, with few to many large, elongated, whitish spots on both surfaces; margin with pungent deltoid brown-tipped teeth 2–3 mm long and 8–10(15) mm apart; sap yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 8–15 × 6 cm, subcapitate, very densely flowered; bracts 8–14 × 3–4 mm, ovate-lanceolate, buff with darker veining; pedicels held erect, 15–20 mm long, elongating to 30 mm in fruit. Inflorescence erect to 60 cm high; peduncle 1–3(6)-branched; branches spreading, with several sterile bracts below each raceme.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth bright coral-red, 30–35 mm long, c. 8 mm in diameter across the ovary, slightly narrowed above the ovary, then curved and widening toward the mouth, cylindric-trigonous; outer segments free for c. one-third, with tips scarcely spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology

Stamens and stigma slightly exserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule stipitate for 1.5–3 mm, c. 20 × 12 mm, ovoid, dark yellowish-brown.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3.5 × 6–7 mm, blackish with broad sparsely speckled wings.