Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Description
Habitat and
distribution
Aloe adigratana
ALOE
91
to those species occurring within the same geographical
area.
A. cam peri is distinguished from the related species
occurring in northern Ethiopia by the clavate perianth
which is 18–22 mm long and the small bracts 2–3(–5)
× 1–2 mm.
A. camperi forms a polymorphic species. With regard
to pedicel length the plants observed separate into two
non overlapping size classes: 12–16 mm long including
the type of A. camperi and 22–25 mm long including
the type of A. eru. The two forms overlap in distribution
and no other characters correlate. Thus it does not seem
feasible to recognise the two groups as distinct taxa.
Succulent shrub, stems erect or ascending, 0.5–1 m long, 6–10
cm thick. Leaves crowded, 40–60 × 5.5–8(–12) cm, recurved,
canaliculate, dark­green or brownish, often spotted (especially
towards the base, margin with 6–7 spines per 10 cm, spines 3–5 mm
long, with brown tips. Inflorescence branched with 2–6 racemes.
Racemes cylindrical, 3–14 cm long, dense, 8–12 flowers per cm.
Bracts triangular­ovate, 2–3(–5) × 1–2 mm. Pedicels 12–25 mm
long. Perianth clavate, 18–22 mm long, 3–4 mm wide near base,
7–8 mm at widest point, yellow, orange or scarlet, outer segments
free for 7–8 mm.
The species grows abundantly on rocky slopes and sandy
alluvial plains along the eastern escarpment; between
550 and 2700 m in Tigray and Welo floristic regions in
Ethiopia and in Eritrea. It is so far not known anywhere
else. The main flowering period is from March to May.
32. Aloe adigratana Reynolds
The specific epithet ‘adigratana’ refers to the place,
Adigrat in the Tigray floristic region where the type
collection was made by Rey nolds. The species was
described in 1957.
A. adigratana belongs to a group of caulescent aloes
(numbers 31­41) main ly characterised by erect, ascending
or spraw ling stems. A. adigratana is distinguished from
the related species occurring in central and northern
Ethiopia by the sub cla vate perianth 25–27(–33) mm
long, and the ovate­acuminate to almost triangular bracts,
8–12 × 2.5–4 mm.