Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

98 ALOACEAE
Fig. 52. Aloe
gilbertii subsp.
gilbertii, from
near Langano,
Shewa floristic
region.
Aloe schelpei
collected in Konso on the road to Yabello in Gamo Gofa
floristic region.
The subspecies grows in open or dense Acacia-
Commiphora bushland, on rocky places with Adenia
venenata between 1200 and 1350 m in Gamo Gofa
floristic region. It is so far not known anywhere else. The
main flowering period is from Oc tober to November;
sometimes also from April to May.
37. Aloe schelpei Reynolds
The specific epithet ‘schelpei’ is given in honour of one
of the collectors, Dr. E. A. Schelpe, University of Cape
Town, whose collection was designated as the type. The
species was described in 1954. The type material was
collected in Bole Valley north of Addis Ababa, Shewa
floristic region by Curle and Schelpe.
A. schelpei belongs to a group of cau lescent aloes
(numbers 31­41) mainly characterised by erect, ascending
or spraw ling stems. A. schelpei is distinguished from
the related species, occurring in central and northern
Ethiopia, by the cylindrical perianth, 27–30 mm long,