Aloe comosa
Aloe comosa | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asphodelaceae |
Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
Genus: | Aloe |
Species: | A. comosa
|
Binomial name | |
Aloe comosa Marloth & A.Berger |
Aloe comosa is a species of flowering plant in the Asphodelaceae family.[2] It is commonly called Clanwilliam aloe) and is endemic to South Africa.
Description
Typically, Aloe comosa has thick,
Aloe comosa is considered a tree aloe, having a single, unbranched stem which may attain heights of approximately 3 m. As it matures and grows in height, it retains its dry, dead leaves which form a tangled mass resembling a skirt or a beard. Tree aloe bark differs from woody
Reproduction
Naturally, Aloe comosa follows the typical
The seeds are produced in late February and early March of each year in time for the winter rains; the seasonal shift in the southern hemisphere is opposite that of the northern hemisphere. Once the seed capsules turn pale green, they will split and expose their flat, brown seeds. These seeds are enclosed by a thin, transparent membrane which aid in transporting the seeds. In the event of a sufficient breeze, the seeds are dispersed and blown some distance from the parent plant where they usually germinate under the protection of a nurse plant.[4]
Taxonomy
Aloe comosa is the botanical name for what is commonly known as Clanwilliam aloe. The person who discovered the species has not been recorded but those that contributed its botanical name were two German botanists,
Distribution
Aloe comosa inhabits a very small region within the Western Cape province of South Africa. It was discovered in the Olifants River Valley in 1905, north of the town Clanwilliam (hence its common name).[4]
Uses
The genus Aloe currently consists of over 650 species. A few species of aloe are used to treat minor thermal burns, itching, and sunburn by applying the thick, mucilaginous gel to the skin, but Aloe comosa is not one of those species. Its only apparent uses are a decorative house plant and collector's item.[6] Even though Aloe comosa is indigenous to the Western Cape of South Africa, it is possible for experienced collectors and horticulturalists to maintain their plants outdoors, in Arizona and California for instance, or in a desert climate greenhouse.
References
- . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "Aloe comosa Marloth & A.Berger". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- ^ S2CID 7908760.
- ^ a b Oliver, Ian (July 2006). "Aloe comosa". South African National Biodiversity Institute, South Africa.
- ISBN 1-84246-085-4.
- ^ Holmes, Walter C.; White, Heather L. "Aloaceae". Flora of North America. Vol. 26. Oxford University Press. pp. 12, 15, 18, 20, 410. Online at EFloras.org.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
- Hilton-Taylor, C. (1998). "Aloe comosa". . Retrieved 19 December 2017.