Aloe alooides (Bolus) Druten
Graskop aloe, grass head aloe
This aloe is a native of northeastern South Africa (Mpumalanga, formerly eastern Transvaal). Ironically, the species alooides means “resembling an aloe.” Well, duh, right? But this wasn’t always thought to be an aloe; it was once called Urginea alooides because it looked like an aloe.
Plants: These aloes have a single stem up to 6½′ (2 m) high, the upper part of which is covered with old dried leaves.
Leaves: Green, tinged red during droughts. They are wide and so curved that they often curl back to touch the stem. Leaf margins have small teeth.
Flowers: Up to five unbranched, narrow flower spikes occur per plant. Each spike contains bell-shaped yellow flowers up to ⅜″ (1 cm). Flowers appear from July to August.
Fruits: ¼ ⨉ ¼″ (9 ⨉ 7 mm), dehiscent.
Habitats: Grows in shallow soil on dolomite outcrops in a limited area of the Mpumalanga escarpment in South Africa.
Online References:
2/26/2010 · San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Liliidae | Includes lilies, orchids, and many others |
| Order | Asparagales | A diverse group that includes asparagus |
| Family | Xanthorrhoeaceae | Aloes, many tropical plants, flax lilies, daylilies, many others |
| Genus | Aloe | Means “goddess” in ancient Sanskrit, for its reputed use as a beauty aid; some sources suggest that the name comes from Alloeh, meaning “shining bitter substance” |
| Species | alooides | Aloe-like |
Aloe alooides description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.