Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Aloe retrospiciens
Description
14. Aloe retrospiciens Reynolds & Bally
ALOE
69
The specific epithet ‘retrospiciens’, refers to the flowers
lying backwards (retro-) on the racemes/spikes (spiciens).
The species was described in 1958 with the type material
collected near Darburruk in Northern Somalia.
The species is one of the two Aloe species (including
the previous species, A. ruspoliana) 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 thick erect stems up to 2 m high and
the soft leaves with minute very close spaced marginal
teeth.
Berger described a taxon, A. ruspoliana var. dra cae niformis,
from Ogaden in 1908. This taxon clearly belongs
to A. retro spiciens. The description of this variety under
A. ruspoliana clearly indicates the close relationship of
the two species.
Succulent shrub, stem erect, 1–2 m high, 3–4 cm thick, branching
from base. Leaves rather lax, spreading to gently recurved, 25–32
× 5–5.5 cm, grey- green, sometimes flushed red, smelling of mice
when cut. Marginal teeth (24–)33–34 per 10 cm, minute, white, c.
1 mm long. Inflorescence c. 45 cm long, divaricately branched with
8–11 racemes. Racemes 2–5 cm long, lax (2–4 flowers per cm).
Bracts c. 5 × 2–2.5 mm, scarious. Pedicels 7–8 mm long. Perianth
Fig. 31. Aloe retrospiciens, from near Dire Dawa, Harerge floristic region.