Aloe ortholopha

These rare aloes are native to the Mvurwi range on the northern Great Dyke in Zimbabwe.

Leaves: Dense rosettes. Leaves are 1–1½′ ⨉ 4–6″ (40–50 ⨉ 10–14 cm), ovate-lanceolate, and greenish-gray. Leaves do not have spots. They maybe tinged pink when dry, and edges have light brown teeth about ¼–⅜″ (8–10 mm) apart.

Flowers: One, or rarely two, inflorescences are up to 3′ (90 cm) tall, on one to four usually horizontal branches. Racemes are 12–16 ⨉ 1¾″ (30–40 ⨉ 4.5 cm).

Habitats: Open serpentine grasslands, on slopes and ridges, at elevations of 4757–5003′ (1.4–1.5 km) in the northern Great Dyke, Mvurwi Range, Zimbabwe.

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	ortholopha	From Greek, orthos, erect, straight, and lophos a crest; referring to the one-sided inflorescence

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