Aloiampelos | |
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Aloiampelos tenuior | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asphodelaceae |
Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
Tribe: | Aloeae |
Genus: | Aloiampelos Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. [1] |
Type species | |
Aloiampelos ciliaris | |
Species | |
Aloiampelos (combination of 'Aloe' and 'ampelos'=vine or creeper), formerly Aloe ser. Macrifoliae (the climbing-aloes) is a genus of succulent plants in the subfamily Asphodeloideae, comprising seven species found in Southern Africa. They are typically multi-branched climbing or sprawling shrubs, with long spindly stems and a large woody base on the ground. These characteristics, as well as their soft, narrow, triangular leaves whose lower part ensheathes the stem, make them easy to distinguish.
The genus is centered in the Eastern Cape, South Africa where they are also particularly common. A few rare species also occur in isolated pockets further west in the fynbos vegetation of the Western Cape.
As of October 2017 [update] , the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognized the following species: [1]
Image | Scientific name | Distribution[ citation needed ] |
---|---|---|
Aloiampelos ciliaris (Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | Albany thickets of the Eastern Cape, between Grahamstown and Uitenhage. | |
Aloiampelos commixta (A.Berger) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | restricted to the Cape Peninsula. | |
Aloiampelos decumbens (Reynolds) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | Langeberg Mountains near Swellendam and Riversdale in the Western Cape, South Africa. | |
Aloiampelos gracilis (Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | small area around the city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and extends westwards into the Baviaanskloof mountains | |
Aloiampelos juddii (van Jaarsv.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | Table Mountain | |
Aloiampelos striatula (Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | Karoo region of South Africa | |
Aloiampelos tenuior (Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | Eastern Cape, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga, South Africa | |
The most common species in this group is probably Aloiampelos ciliaris which is relatively widespread in South Africa. It seems to have developed from a smaller, rarer, finely leaved plant now classified as a subspecies, Aloiampelos ciliaris subsp. tidmarshi, and to have spread out across the country relatively recently.
Its relatives, moving westwards along the South African coast, are: Aloiampelos tenuior of open sandy terrain in Kwazulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, Aloiampelos striatula of the higher mountain ranges bordering the Karoo, and Aloiampelos gracilis of the dry thickets around Port Elizabeth and Baviaanskloof (where the Eastern Cape thickets fade into the Western Cape fynbos vegetation).
Further west, the Fynbos vegetation of the neighbouring Western Cape is subject to frequent fires, making it relatively inhospitable for Aloes. Nevertheless, several rare relict Aloiampelos species survive in tiny isolated pockets in coarse sandstone sands within the Fynbos biome, such as Aloiampelos decumbens, Aloiampelos juddii and Aloiampelos commixta. [2]
The unusual and endangered Aloe pearsonii (Pearson's aloe) of Namibia has been considered by many botanists to be an outlying member of this taxon. However more recent chemical analysis indicates that it is actually closer to the "creeping aloes" (Mitriformes). [3]
Aloiampelos is native to Southern Africa, being found in South Africa (the Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Northern Provinces) and Lesotho. Species in the genus have been naturalized in France, Algeria, Morocco, the Canary Islands, Norfolk Island and the Juan Fernández Islands. [4]
The different species of this series show clear and distinct adaptations to their different natural habitats. The climbing aloe species that are indigenous to regions with tall, thicket vegetation are tall and erect - often with hooked, recurved leaves that allow the aloes to anchor their branches and climb up through trees and thickets. In contrast, the species from drier regions with low, sparse, fynbos vegetation tend to be more "decumbent", rambling along the ground - with no need for their leaves to be recurved. [5]
Due to their hardiness and the wide range of flower colours, these slender succulents have become popular ornamental plants in South African gardens. The commoner species (such as the more widespread aloes of the Eastern Cape) are increasingly grown in gardens overseas too. Climbing aloes require a sunny, well-drained position and are particularly suitable for rockeries. The taller, climbing species are commonly planted along fences and boundaries where they grow up through the surrounding foliage. The lower, rambling species however, are better suited for rockeries, slopes or terraces, which they will naturally cascade down over.
The colour of the flowers varies from bright yellow (Aloiampelos commixta and Aloiampelos tenuior) to orange (Aloiampelos striatula and Aloiampelos commixta) to red, pink or even scarlet (Aloiampelos ciliaris, Aloiampelos juddii and Aloiampelos gracilis). There can also be significant colour variation among different populations within each individual species.
They can easily be propagated by taking cuttings (truncheons), as well as by seed. These aloes generally have both male and female flowers on each plant, but an individual plant is usually not self-fertile by itself. However, some of the species are also inter-fertile, and can thus form hybrids.
Aloe succotrina, the Fynbos aloe, is an aloe which is endemic to Cape Town and the south-western corner of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aloe striata, with the common name coral aloe, is a small, stemless South African Aloe species.
The Albany thickets is an ecoregion of dense woodland in southern South Africa, which is concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape.
Aloe africana is an arborescent species of aloe plant, indigenous to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
Kumara plicatilis, formerly Aloe plicatilis, the fan-aloe, is a succulent plant endemic to a few mountains in the Fynbos ecoregion, of the Western Cape in South Africa. The plant has an unusual and striking fan-like arrangement of its leaves. It may grow as a large multistemmed shrub or as a small tree. It is one of the two species in the genus Kumara.
Aloiampelos commixta is a flowering plant in the Asphodelaceae family. It is commonly called Table Mountain aloe, and is a rare succulent plant that is endemic to the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. It naturally occurs only on the Table Mountain range, within the city of Cape Town.
Aloiampelos striatula, formerly Aloe striatula, the hardy aloe or striped-stemmed aloe, is a sturdy succulent plant that naturally occurs on the summits of mountains along the south of the Karoo region of South Africa. Tough and hardy, with bright yellow flowers, it is also cultivated as a garden ornamental.
Aloiampelos ciliaris, formerly Aloe ciliaris, the common climbing-aloe, is a thin, tough, rapidly growing succulent plant from South Africa.
Aloiampelos tenuior, formerly Aloe tenuior, the fence aloe, is a bushy, multi-branched succulent plant from the grasslands and thickets of the Eastern Cape, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga, South Africa. Its preferred habitat is sandy soils in open country, unlike many of its relatives that favour thicket vegetation. It is one of the most profusely flowering of all aloes and their relatives.
Aloiampelos gracilis, formerly Aloe gracilis, the rocket aloe, is a succulent plant, endemic to dry thicket vegetation around the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Its natural range lies just to the west of the related Aloiampelos ciliaris, and it occurs in bushy fynbos and dry thickets, and clustered on rocky outcrops at all altitudes. Its range extends westwards into the Baviaanskloof mountains.
Aloe perfoliata, the rubble aloe or mitre aloe, is a hardy creeping aloe, found in rocky, mountainous areas throughout the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aloiampelos juddii, formerly Aloe juddii, the Koudeberg aloe, is a newly discovered species that is native to a few rocky outcrops and a farm, near to Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aloiampelos decumbens, formerly Aloe decumbens, the Langeberg rambling-aloe, is a sprawling, succulent plant that is endemic to the fynbos vegetation of the Langeberg Mountains near Swellendam and Riversdale in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos is a unique and endangered vegetation type that is endemic to the Cape Peninsula in Cape Town. This type of Mountain Fynbos occurs on very poor, acidic soils but is incredibly rich in biodiversity with an enormous number of plant species – many of which occur nowhere else. Due to its poor soils and steep, inaccessible location, it has not been developed for farming or houses, and consequently it is relatively well conserved.
Aloe brevifolia, the short-leaved aloe, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. It is a tiny, compact, blue-green evergreen succulent perennial, that is native to the Western Cape, South Africa. Listed as Vulnerable on IUCN's global Red List, it is threatened in its natural habitat, but is also widely popular as an ornamental plant in rockeries and desert gardens worldwide. As it requires winter heat, in temperate regions it is grown under glass or as a houseplant.
Aloe pearsonii is a very distinctive and unusual species of aloe, that is naturally endemic to the arid Richtersveld area on the border between South Africa and Namibia.
Aloe speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the Asphodelaceae family. It is commonly called tilt-head aloe and is an arborescent aloe indigenous to the thicket vegetation of the southern Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Aloe rupestris is an arborescent aloe indigenous to summer-rainfall areas of southern Africa.
Aloeae is a tribe of succulent plants in the subfamily Asphodeloideae of the family Asphodelaceae, consisting of the aloes and their close relatives. The taxon may also be treated as the subfamily Alooideae by those botanists who retain the narrower circumscription of Asphodelaceae adopted prior to the APG III system. Typically, plants have rosettes of more or less succulent leaves, with or without a distinct stem. Their flowers are arranged in racemes and tend to be either small and pale, pollinated by insects, or larger and more brightly coloured, pollinated by birds. As of 2017, 11 genera are recognized, most created since 2010 by splitting off another five genera from Aloe and another two from Haworthia. Only two genera, Aloe and Aloidendron, are native outside southern Africa, extending northwards to the Arabian Peninsula. Seven genera are restricted to South Africa, some with small ranges. Members of the Aloeae are cultivated by succulent plant enthusiasts; Aloe species especially are used in temperate climates as ornamental garden plants. Some species are used in traditional medicine. Aloe vera and Aloe ferox are cultivated for their extracts, whose uses include moisturizers and emollients in cosmetics.
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