Aloe reynoldsii

Photo

Ivan Latti

Author

Ivan Latti

Aloe pruinosa is a maculate aloe with a much branched inflorescence that only occurs in a limited thorn-bush area in KwaZulu-Natal. The green or purplish upper leaf surface has scattered H-shaped white markings. On the lower surface of the leaf there are more spots than above, oval in shape. The spots are sometimes arranged in linear bands along the leaf surface.

The flowers are pink or red with a grey dusty bloom. In the great variety of appearances presented by the Aloe genus, this is one that is more interesting than pretty when in flower (Jeppe, 1969).

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Aloe reynoldsii beginnings of an inflorescence

Photo

Ivan Latti

Author

Ivan Latti

The inflorescence of Aloe reynoldsii is branched into many laxly flowered racemes. A second, smaller panicle may appear after the main one. Flowering happens in the early part of spring.

The nodding perianths are yellow or tinged pale orange in their upper parts and pale below, usually with a basal swelling over the ovary. The stamens may be included in the perianth tube or shortly exserted in sequence, in two groups of three each. The style exserts its tip, the stigma permanently, not only for a while as the filaments do with the anthers that are contracted again later.

The three-segmented fruit capsule becomes 2,2 cm long, 1 cm in diameter. It is six-grooved, initially covered for a while in dry perianth remains (Reynolds, 1974; Van Wyk and Smith, 2003; Jeppe, 1969).