Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

ALOE
67
Description Acaulescent, growing in rock crevices or “rock shelters” suckering;
rosette coming out between rock crevices or from rock bottoms
that partly shelters the lower parts of the aloe plant; root system
massive. Leaves, laxly rosulate, 20–46 × 1–4.5 cm; leaf surface dull
green with smooth surface. Marginal teeth 1–1.5 mm, white, 3–8
mm apart or 10–12 per 10 cm length. Inflorescence 50–60 cm long,
simple raceme cylindrical, c. 28 cm long, Bracts ovate, 8–10 × 4
mm, acuminate at the apex. Pedicel 8–10 mm long; Perianth bright
scarlet, paler to almost white towards mouth, 37–40 mm, base
truncate, 8 mm across; outer tepals free for 10 mm long. Capsule
25–27 mm long, each part 25–27 × 10 mm.
Habitat and
distribution
Aloe ruspoliana
Description
The species grows in Bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica)
thicket with open rocky outcrops or partially
covered by slanting rocks giving them protection during
fire season between 1490 and 1500 m close to Assosa in
Wellega floristic region. The general area where it grows
experiences natural and man made fire regimes. The main
flowering period is between April and August.
13. Aloe ruspoliana Baker
The specific epithet ‘ruspoliana’, refers to a Roman prince
[“Principe Romano”], Count Eugenio Ruspoli. He was
the leader of an expedition in 1893 together with another
Italian, Dr. Domenico Riva, to Southern Ethiopia. The
type of the species was designated from one of Ruspoli’s
collections, and the species was named in honour of him.
According to a note written by J. B. Gillett in the Kew
Library, Ruspoli was killed by an elephant near the Sagan
River in the Gamo Gofa floristic region on 4 Dec. 1893.
The species was described in 1898. The type material was
collected between Mil mil and Imi in Harerge Region.
The species is one of the two Aloe species (along with
A. retrospiciens) whose leaves smell strongly of mice
when freshly cut and whose flowers are bright yellow.
It is a very distinct species, easily recognised by the soft
yellow green leaves with minute marginal teeth.
Rosettes stemless or with decumbent or ascending stems to 50 cm
long, suckering to form groups, often quite large. Leaves ca. 16, 37–
60 × 7.6–12 cm, suberect to spreading, very soft, pale yellowishgreen,
sometimes obscurely pale spotted, not canaliculate. Marginal
teeth 0.3–0.7 mm long, 14–30(–60) per 10 cm. Inflorescence long
pedunculate, 1.2–2 m high with 12 or more racemes. Racemes 2 4
cm long, subcapitate. Bracts c. 3 × 1.5 mm. Pedicels 5 mm long.
Perianth cylindric­trigonous, 13–16 mm long, 4–5 mm wide when
pressed, yellow; outer lobes free for 5–6 mm.