Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

72 ALOACEAE
Description
Habitat and
distribution
Notes
Rosettes forming small groups, stemless or nearly so. Leaves 45–60
× 6.5–13 cm, spreading with recurved tips, shallowly canaliculate
at least near tip, dark green with many elongated pale green spots.
Marginal teeth 7–10 per cm, (3–)4–5.5 mm long, often curved, brown
tipped. Inflorescence with up to 28 mostly ± spreading branches.
Racemes cylindrical, often secund, 7–33 cm long, lax (2–4 flowers
per cm). Bracts ovate, 3–10 × 2–5 mm, acute or acuminate. Pedicel
3–9(–12 in young fruit) mm long. Perianth cylindrical or clavate,
20–28 mm long, 4–5 mm wide when pressed, yellow, orange or
sometimes red, ± striped; outer lobes free for 6–12 mm. Capsule
small, c. 15 mm long. Seeds ca. 4 mm long, ± 3 winged, brown with
white cistoliths and pale wings.
The species grows in open Acacia woodland, sometimes
on dark soil between 1300 and 1820 m in Gamo Gofa,
Sidamo, Bale, and Harerge floristic regions. It is so far
not known anywhere else. The main flowering period is
from November to January.
The species shows clear regional variation. Plants from
Harerge have distinctly secund racemes, acute bracts
which are 4–6 × 2–3 mm, cylindrical perianths, 23–25
mm long, which are yellow (occasionally orange or red
Fig. 33. Aloe pirottae, from near Bitata, Sidamo floristic region.