Aloiampelos juddii

Last updated

Aloiampelos juddii
Aloe juddii - Cape Agulhas - South Africa 7.JPG
In habitat
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. juddii
Binomial name
Aloiampelos juddii
(van Jaarsv.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Aloe juddiivan Jaarsv.

Aloiampelos juddii, formerly Aloe juddii, the Koudeberg aloe, is a newly discovered species that is native to a few rocky outcrops and a farm ("Farm 215"), near to Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Contents

Description

Image of cultivated plant with inflorescence 1 Aloe juddii - inflorescence - CT 2.jpg
Image of cultivated plant with inflorescence

It is one of the few members of the tribe Aloeae that are indigenous to the fynbos vegetation type and it is closely related to the similarly rare Aloiampelos commixta of Table Mountain. Like this species, it is a slender, multi-stemmed succulent plant, with semi-erect stems that often sprawl along the ground and over rocks.

In October and November it produces brilliant displays of bright red flowers, that are usually swiftly eaten by the tiny "Klipspringer" antelope that live in the area.

It was named after the artist Eric Judd, who discovered it in 2004, and is known in Afrikaans as the "Baardskeerdersbosvuurpylaalwyn". [2]

Distribution and habitat

Aloiampelos juddii in its rocky habitat Aloe juddii - Cape Agulhas - South Africa 2.JPG
Aloiampelos juddii in its rocky habitat
Detail of inflorescence Aloe juddii - Koudeberg Aloe in flower - SA 1.jpg
Detail of inflorescence

Aloiampelos juddii has a small and restricted distribution. It occurs on rocky, south-east facing slopes, in sands derived from Table Mountain Sandstone (Nardouw subgroup). These are coarse, white sands, which are mineral-poor and acidic. The plants grow in this cool sand in the shelter of the quartzite boulders which shelter them from the winds and the heat.

It is an area of predominantly winter rainfall.

This plant has yet to be classified according to the IUCN Red List but is nevertheless rare and restricted to a very small natural range. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<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>Aloe marlothii</i> Species of plant in the family Asphodelaceae

Aloe marlothii is a large, single-stemmed Southern African aloe of rocky places and open flat country, occasionally growing up to 6 m tall.

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

Aloe erinacea is a rare species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe, from arid areas of Namibia.

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

Aloe striata, with the common name coral aloe, is a small, stemless South African Aloe species.

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

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.

<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>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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos</span> Vegetation type endemic to the Cape Peninsula in Cape Town, 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.

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

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.

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

Aloe arenicola is a spotted creeping aloe, indigenous to the arid west coast of South Africa.

<i>Aloe <span style="font-style:normal;">ser.</span> Mitriformes</i> Group of succulents

Aloe ser. Mitriformes is a taxonomic series within the genus Aloe, comprising several closely related species of Southern African rambling aloe. These typically multi-branched sprawling aloe species have rigid fleshy leaves and slender pedicels about the length of the perianth, each being roughly 40 mm long. The stems tend to sprawl along the ground, with the ends densely leafed and upturned.

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

Aloe juvenna is a species of plant in the genus Aloe. It is popular in cultivation but extremely rare in its natural habitat in Kenya.

References

  1. 1 2 "Aloiampelos juddii". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  2. "ARKive - Aloe videos, photos and facts - Aloe juddii". Archived from the original on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  3. "Full Circle Magazine - May 2009 - Page 38". Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2011.