Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Description
Habitat and
distribution
Aloe pirottae
ALOE
71
of the species was designated. The species was described
in 1951 on the basis of living material collected near Dire
Dawa in Harerge region in Ethiopia and cultivated in
Pretoria, South Africa.
The species is a member of group of spotted aloes
(numbers 15–18. Unlike the ‘saponaria’ group, this
group is characterised by the leaves having tough skins
and not having a swollen perianth base. A. mcloughlinii
is distinguished from the rest of the group by its shorter
(less than 20 mm long), pink perianth.
Rosettes solitary or in small groups, stemless or nearly so. Leaves
40–50 × 7–8 cm, ascending to spreading with recurved tips, upper
surface convex, dark green with numerous elongated pale green
spots; marginal teeth 7–10 per 10 cm, 3–4.5 mm long, with small
reddish brown tips. Inflorescences 100–120 cm high, branching
above middle, with 6–11 ± erect racemes. Racemes cylindrical,
11–20 cm long, lax (2–3 flowers per cm), sometimes ± secund on
branches. Bracts ovate, 3–6 × 2–3 mm. Pedicels 5–9.5(–12) mm
long. Perianth cylindrical to slightly conical, 17–20 mm long, 5–7.5
mm wide when pressed, ± truncate at base, pink with paler lobe
margins so the flower looks as if it has stripes; outer lobes free for
10–16 mm.
The species grows on flat, stony ground with disturbed
Acacia bushland, often together with A. megalacantha
and large Sansevieria species, between 1060 and 1250
m in Harerge floristic region. It is so far not known
anywhere else. The main flowering period is from April
to May.
16. Aloe pirottae Berger
The specific epithet ‘pirottae’ is given in honour of Prof.
Pietro Romualdo Pirotta, who was a Professor of botany
in Rome. The species was described in 1905, based
on type material collected from the Sagan River in the
border area between Gamo Gofa and Sidamo florisitc
region in Ethiopia.
A. pirottae is a member of the group of spotted aloes
(numbers 15–18) with a tough skin on the leaves. The
species is distinguished from the closely related species,
A. mcloughlinii, by the cylindrical to subclavate perianth
which is (20–)23–25 mm long and yellow or orange,
rarely reddish.A. mcloughlinii has a pink perianth, shorter
than 20 mm.