Aloe rhodesiana Rendle

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Road before Bunga Forest, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Chinyakwaremba, Vumba

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Synonyms:	Aloe eylesii Christian
Common names:	Zimbabwe grass aloe (English)
Frequency:	Locally frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb, solitary, or suckering to produce a cluster of up to 4 stems. Leaves mostly in a basal rosette, erect, fleshy but grass-like, linear, 30–50 cm long, dull green, with a few whitish spots toward the base of the under surface; margin with firm white teeth near the base. Inflorescences 1–3 from each rosette, simple, erect up to c. 50 cm high, rarely taller when protected from fire. Raceme cylindric, 15–20 cm long and 8 cm, more or less laxly flowered; pedicels c. 3 cm long, elongating to 5 cm in fruit. Perianth salmon-pink, greenish-tipped, c. 35 mm long and 6 mm in diameter across the ovary; outer segments free to the base with tips slightly spreading. This species often flowers early after fire, when the leaves and stem are burnt.
Notes:	It is listed as Vulnerable, due to habitat destruction for commercial forestry or degradation from invasive species (pine, gum and wattle trees).
Derivation of specific name:	rhodesiana: of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe, or sometimes Zambia)
Habitat:	In montane grassland.
Altitude range: (metres)	1200 - 2100 m
Flowering time:	Oct - Feb
Worldwide distribution:	Only known from the border mountains of Zimbabwe and Mozambique and Mt Gorongosa.
Zimbabwe distribution:	E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:	Vulnerable
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Tuesday 8 June 2021
Literature:	Carter, S. (2001). Aloaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(3) Pages 62 - 64. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 5. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 121. As Aloe rhodesiaca Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 161. Kimberley, M.J. (2003). Miniature Aloes in Zimbabwe Excelsa 20 Pages 58 - 59. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 84. West, O. (1974). A Field Guide to the Aloes of Rhodesia. Longman, Salisbury Pages 43 - 44. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 81.

Other sources of information about Aloe rhodesiana:

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Flora of Mozambique: Aloe rhodesiana

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Aloe rhodesiana
African Plant Database: Aloe rhodesiana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Aloe rhodesiana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Aloe rhodesiana
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Aloe rhodesiana
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Aloe rhodesiana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Aloe rhodesiana
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GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Aloe rhodesiana
iNaturalist: Aloe rhodesiana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Aloe rhodesiana
JSTOR Plant Science: Aloe rhodesiana
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Aloe rhodesiana
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Aloe rhodesiana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Aloe rhodesiana
Plants of the World Online: Aloe rhodesiana
Tropicos: Aloe rhodesiana
Wikipedia: Aloe rhodesiana