Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

106 ALOACEAE
Fig. 58. Aloe tewoldei, from Sof Omar caves, Bale floristic region.
Description
Habitat and
distribution
or obscurely spotted leaves which are separated along
the erect or sprawling stems, stems 1–2 cm in diameter.
It is distinguished from the closely related species A.
welmelensis by the marginal spines being pinkish, 2 mm
long, flowers arranged in all sides, perianth 20 mm long
and pedicel 12 mm long. In contrast, A. welmelesnis has
marginal spines white, obsolete to 1mm long, flowers
arranged to one side i.e secund, perianth 30–32 mm long
and pedicel 5–7 mm long.
Lax shrublet, sometimes ± pendent; stems to 50 cm long ca. 6
mm thick. Leaves spaced along the stem, oblong­lanceolate, up
to 13.5(–32) × 1.5–2(–2.2) cm, subterete, grey­green, obscurely
spotted. Marginal teeth 20–30 per 10 cm, c. 0.5 mm long, white.
Inflorescence unbranched. Raceme very lax, ca. 27 cm long;
flowers 10–40 mm apart. Bracts ca. 4 × 2 mm. Pedicel c. 12 mm
long. Perianth trigonous­cylindrical, 20 mm long, 7 mm wide when
pressed, base truncate, greyish orange with greenish tip.
The species grows hanging from limestone cliff­faces,
in Harerge and possibly also in Bale floristic regions. A
second specimen of this species has never been collected
since the first collection in the 1970’s, from which the
species was described. There is an urgent need to find
the species in the wild and collect more material of the
species. The species flowered in cultivation in October.