Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Fig. 49. Aloe
sinana, from
near Debre Sina,
Shewa floristic
region.
Habitat and
distribution
Aloe calidophila
ALOE
93
whitish spots on the underside and towards base on the upperside.
Marginal teeth 6–7 per 10 cm, 3–4 mm long. Inflorescence with
4–6 racemes. Racemes subcapitate to cylindrical, 5.5–8.5(–14) cm
long, 6–12 flowers per cm. Bracts ovate, 7–8 × 2 mm, tip attenuate.
Pedicels 18–25(–27 in fruit) mm long. Perianth clavate, 23–27 mm
long, when pressed 3–4 mm wide near base, 6–7 mm at widest
point, orange to pink; outer segments free for 12–13 mm.
The species grows on basaltic slopes, often in areas of
evergreen Euclea-Rhus na tal ensis–Flueggea virosa
bush land between 1250 and 1950 m in Welo and Shewa
floristic regions. It is so far not known anywhere else.
The main flowering period is from December to April.
34. Aloe calidophila Reynolds
The specific epithet ‘calidophila’ refers to the hot
climate where the plant grows. In short it means warm/
hot (calido-) loving (­philus). The species was described
in 1957 with the type material collected from the Dida
Cheena Plains, between Moyale and Mega, in Sidamo
floristic region.
A. calidophila belongs to a group of caulescent aloes
(numbers 31­41) mainly characterized by erect, ascending
or spraw ling stems. A. calidophila is distinguished from
the related species occurring in southern and eastern
Ethiopia by the clavate perianth, 17–22 mm long, with
outer segments free for 8–10 mm, the 10–15 mm long
pedicels and the ovate bracts, 3–5 × 1.5–2 mm.