Aloiampelos gracilis

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Aloiampelos gracilis
Aloe gracilis plant - South Africa 3.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Tribe: Aloeae
Genus: Aloiampelos
Species:
A. gracilis
Binomial name
Aloiampelos gracilis
(Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. [2]
Synonyms [2]
  • Aloe gracilisHaw.
  • Aloe laxifloraN.E.Br.

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.

Contents

Description

The red flowers of Aloiampelos gracilis often appear on multi-branched racemes Aloe gracilis - multi-stemmed flower racemes.JPG
The red flowers of Aloiampelos gracilis often appear on multi-branched racemes

Its thin stems grow tall and erect from its base on the ground, often reaching 2 m in length, and branching near the base. When it is not climbing on other vegetation or fences, the mass of semi-erect stems forms a shrubby bush. Its narrow, succulent leaves are dull-green with tiny, soft, white teeth along the margins, and it normally flowers from May, through to August.

It can easily be distinguished from other species in the genus by its long (45 mm), thin, bright red flowers which appear on multi-branched racemes. [3]

Detail of Aloiampelos gracilis rosette Aloe gracilis climbing aloe rosette 8.JPG
Detail of Aloiampelos gracilis rosette

Distribution

Aloiampelos gracilis is naturally restricted to a relatively small area around the city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and extends westwards into the Baviaanskloof mountains. This region is a transition zone in the Cape Floral Kingdom, between the Fynbos vegetation of the Western Cape, and the Albany thickets of the Eastern Cape. [4] Aloiampelos gracilis is adapted to this transitional fynbos, though due to its popularity as an ornamental garden plant it is now also grown in gardens around southern Africa. [5]

Due to its natural vegetation being prone to seasonal fires, this plant has evolved the ability to re-sprout from its rootstock after being burnt.

Relatives and subspecies

The rare and declining Langeberg rambling-aloe, Aloiampelos decumbens , which grows far to the west in the Langeberg mountains in the Western Cape, is sometimes described as being merely an isolated subspecies of Aloiampelos gracilis. [6] [7]

Aside from A. decumbens, this plant's closest relative is Aloiampelos striatula , a larger and more robust plant that occurs further inland in the Eastern Cape mountains. However Aloiampelos gracilis can easily be distinguished by its erect (rather than recurved) leaves, its sparse, multi-branched racemes of red flowers, and its relatively thinner stem.

Its species name "gracilis" means "slender", and refers to the plant's thin, graceful stems. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fynbos</span> Shrubland and heathland ecoregion of southwestern South Africa

Fynbos is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean climate and rainy winters. The fynbos ecoregion is within the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. In fields related to biogeography, fynbos is known for its exceptional degree of biodiversity and endemism, consisting of about 80% species of the Cape floral kingdom, where nearly 6,000 of them are endemic. This land continues to face severe human-caused threats, but due to the many economic uses of the fynbos, conservation efforts are being made to help restore it.

<i>Aloe succotrina</i> Species of succulent

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.

<i>Haworthiopsis fasciata</i> Species of succulent

Haworthiopsis fasciata, formerly Haworthia fasciata, is a species of succulent plant from the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The species is rare in cultivation; most plants that are labelled as H. fasciata are actually Haworthiopsis attenuata.

<i>Aloe ferox</i> Species of succulent

Aloe ferox, commonly known as bitter aloe, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. This woody aloe is indigenous to southern Africa. It is one of several Aloe species used to make bitter aloes, a purgative medication, and also yields a non-bitter gel that can be used in cosmetics.

<i>Astroloba rubriflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Astroloba rubriflora is a succulent plant found in the mountainous Karoo area around Robertson, South Africa. It is listed as a Vulnerable species on the IUCN global Red List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albany thickets</span> Afrotropic terrestrial ecoregion of dense woodland in South Africa

The Albany thickets is an ecoregion of dense woodland in southern South Africa, which is concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape.

<i>Aloe africana</i> Species of succulent

Aloe africana is an arborescent (tree-like) species of aloe plant, indigenous to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

<i>Kumara plicatilis</i> Species of tree

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.

<i>Aloiampelos commixta</i> Species of plant in the family Asphodelaceae

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.

<i>Aloiampelos striatula</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<i>Aloiampelos ciliaris</i> Species of vine

Aloiampelos ciliaris, formerly Aloe ciliaris, the common climbing-aloe, is a thin, tough, rapidly growing succulent plant from South Africa.

<i>Aloiampelos tenuior</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<i>Aloe perfoliata</i> Species of succulent

Aloe perfoliata, the rubble aloe or mitre aloe, is a hardy creeping aloe, found in rocky, mountainous areas throughout the Western Cape, South Africa.

<i>Aloiampelos juddii</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<i>Kumara haemanthifolia</i> Species of plant in the family Asphodelaceae

Kumara haemanthifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. It is a rare species of succulent plant, native to a few high, inaccessible mountain peaks in the Fynbos habitat of Western Cape, South Africa.

<i>Aloiampelos decumbens</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<i>Aloiampelos</i> Genus of succulent flowering plants

Aloiampelos, formerly Aloe ser. Macrifoliae 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.

<i>Aloe pluridens</i> Species of succulent

Aloe pluridens is an arborescent aloe indigenous to southern Africa.

<i>Aloe rupestris</i> Species of plant

Aloe rupestris is an arborescent aloe indigenous to summer-rainfall areas of southern Africa.

References

  1. von Staden, L. (2016). "Aloiampelos gracilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T103633034A104108958. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103633034A104108958.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Aloiampelos gracilis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2017-10-15.
  3. Smith, G.F. & Van Wyk, B.-E. 2008. Aloes in Southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town. ISBN   978-1-875093-04-5
  4. "Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants".
  5. Reynolds, G.W. 1950. The aloes of Southern Africa. Balkema, Cape Town.
  6. "Aloe gracilis, Information and Cultivation Tips".
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2010-10-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Description and Cultivation of Rambling Aloes".