Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Description
Subspecific key
Habitat and
distribution
Fig. 138.
Xerophyta
schnizleinia var.
schnizleinia,
from Metahara,
Shewa floristic
region.
XEROPHYTA 327
Plants of very variable size, forming tussocks. Stems short or long,
0.5–1.5 cm wide, simple or slightly branched. Leaves, linear, 5–40
× 0.2–0.7 cm, scabrid on margin and midrib, otherwise glabrous or
with a few simple hairs. Flowers 1–3 at the apex of the stem; flower
stalks 3­30 cm long. Top of the peduncle and ovary densely covered
with thick stiff simple hairs. Tepals white with or without a pink
tinge, linear­lanceolate 10–40 mm long; anthers yellow, 7–15 mm
long. Capsule globose, 7–15 mm in diameter, densely covered with
stiff, dark brown hairs.
1. Fairly robust plants; stem 1–1.5 cm thick at the base; leaf blade
10–40 × 0.4–0.7 cm, usually straight; flower stalks 10–30 cm long;
tepals (15–)20–40 mm long; anthers 10–15 mm long; capsule 12–15
mm long with hairs c. 1.5 mm long
a. var. schnizleinia
- Small plants; stem 0.5–0.8 cm thick at the base; leaf blade 5–15 ×
0.2–0.4 cm, usually curved; flower stalks 3–10 cm long; tepals less
than 10 mm long; anthers 7–10 mm long; capsule 7–12 mm long with
hairs c. 1 mm long b. var. somaliense
a. var. schnizleinia
This variety is found in rock crevices, particularly in
lava flows, but also on limestone, or on stony soils in
grassland or open Acacia-Commiphora woodland from
30 to 1500 m. It is widespread in Eritrea and Ethiopia,
found in most floristic regions and also occurs in East