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Aloe suprafoliata Pole Evans

Boekaalwyn, book aloe

This aloe originates from the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, and from neighboring Swaziland. It is not found in the wild in North America. The Afrikaans common name, boekaalwyn, refers to the way the leaves in young specimens (<5 years old) are stacked on each other like the pages of a book.

Aloe suprafoliata (boekaalwyn, book aloe)

An “open book.” By Stan Shebs.

Plants: This aloe is stemless or short-stemmed.

Leaves: Rosettes of bluish-green to bluish-gray leaves are less than 8″ (20 cm) high, stacked atop each other in two opposite rows. Individual leaves are lanceolate, toothed, and 10–16 ⨉ 1¾–2½″ (25–40 ⨉ 5–7 cm).

Flowers: Between two and six flowering spikes are topped with racemes 2–6½′ (60–200 cm) tall. Flowers are brilliant pink, 1¼–1¾″ (3.3–5 cm) long, appearing in May to July.

Fruits: Seed pods.

Habitats: Shallow soils on rocky slopes or in rock crevices on steep cliffs, in mountain grassland and open woodland.

Aloe suprafoliata (boekaalwyn, book aloe)

By David Midgley.

Online References:

PlantsZAfrica.com

Desert-tropicals.com

Succulents.co.za

JSTOR Plant Science

 

Aloe suprafoliata (boekaalwyn, book aloe)

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Mary­land

Aloe suprafoliata (boekaalwyn, book aloe)

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Mary­land

Aloe suprafoliata (boekaalwyn, book aloe)

4/11/1979 · Huntington Library Desert Garden, San Marino, Cali­fornia ID is uncertain

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassLiliopsidaMonocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
SubclassLiliidaeIncludes lilies, orchids, and many others
OrderAsparagalesA diverse group that includes asparagus
FamilyXanthorrhoeaceaeAloes, many tropical plants, flax lilies, daylilies, many others
GenusAloeMeans “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”
Speciessuprafoliata“On top of each other,” in this case, like the pages of a book

About plant names...

Range: Zones 9-11:

About this map...

Aloe suprafoliata description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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