Aloe gracilis
Encyclopedia
Aloe gracilis is a climbing aloe
, endemic to the area around the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa
. Its natural range lies just to the west of the related climbing aloe Aloe ciliaris
, and it occurs in bushy fynbos
and thickets
, and clustered on rocky outcrops at all altitudes.
It can easily be distinguished from other climbing aloes by its long (45mm), thin, bright red flower
s which appear on multi-branched racemes.
, South Africa
. 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
. Aloe 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.
Due to its natural vegetation being prone to seasonal fires
, this Aloe has evolved the ability to re-sprout from its rootstock after being burnt.
), which grows far to the west in the Langeberg mountains
in the Western Cape
, is sometimes described as being merely an isolated subspecies of Aloe gracilis.
Aside from the controversial Langeberg Rambling Aloe, this plant's closest relative is Aloe striatula
, a larger and more robust climbing aloe
that occurs further inland in the Eastern Cape
mountains. However Aloe 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.
Aloe ser. Macrifoliae
Aloe ser. Macrifoliae is a taxonomic series within the genus Aloe, comprising seven closely related species of Southern African climbing aloe. These aloes are typically multi-branched climbing or sprawling shrubs, with long spindly stems and a large woody base on the ground...
, endemic to the area around the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Its natural range lies just to the west of the related climbing aloe Aloe ciliaris
Aloe ciliaris
Aloe ciliaris is a thin, tough, rapidly-growing climbing Aloe from South Africa.-Appearance:They can be differentiated from other climbing aloes by the way that the soft, white, hair-like teeth that grow along the margins of the leaves, extend all the way around the stem, at the base of the...
, and it occurs in bushy fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
and thickets
Albany thickets
The Albany thickets are an ecoregion of dense woodland near the southern point of South Africa, concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape .-Location and description:...
, and clustered on rocky outcrops at all altitudes.
Appearance
Its thin stems grow tall and erect from its base on the ground, often reaching 2 meters 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 July.It can easily be distinguished from other climbing aloes by its long (45mm), thin, bright red flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s which appear on multi-branched racemes.
Distribution
Aloe gracilis is naturally restricted to a relatively small area around (and just to the west of) the city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern CapeEastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. This region is a transition zone in the Cape Floral Kingdom, between the Fynbos vegetation
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
of the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, and the Albany thickets
Albany thickets
The Albany thickets are an ecoregion of dense woodland near the southern point of South Africa, concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape .-Location and description:...
of the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
. Aloe 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.
Due to its natural vegetation being prone to seasonal fires
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, this Aloe has evolved the ability to re-sprout from its rootstock after being burnt.
Relatives and subspecies
The rare and declining Langeberg Rambling Aloe (Aloe decumbensAloe decumbens
Aloe decumbens is a sprawling, rambling aloe that is endemic to the fynbos vegetation of the Langeberg Mountains near Riversdale in the Western Cape, South Africa....
), which grows far to the west in the Langeberg mountains
Langeberg
The Langeberg Mountain Range is a mountain range situated in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The range runs in a generally east-west direction and is approximately 170 km long. The Langeberg's most westerly point is located 35 km west of the town of Swellendam; the range ends some 30 km...
in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, is sometimes described as being merely an isolated subspecies of Aloe gracilis.
Aside from the controversial Langeberg Rambling Aloe, this plant's closest relative is Aloe striatula
Aloe striatula
Aloe striatula is a sturdy climbing aloe that naturally occurs on the summits of mountains along the south of the Karoo region of South Africa...
, a larger and more robust climbing aloe
Aloe ser. Macrifoliae
Aloe ser. Macrifoliae is a taxonomic series within the genus Aloe, comprising seven closely related species of Southern African climbing aloe. These aloes are typically multi-branched climbing or sprawling shrubs, with long spindly stems and a large woody base on the ground...
that occurs further inland in the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
mountains. However Aloe 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.
See also
- Climbing AloesAloe ser. MacrifoliaeAloe ser. Macrifoliae is a taxonomic series within the genus Aloe, comprising seven closely related species of Southern African climbing aloe. These aloes are typically multi-branched climbing or sprawling shrubs, with long spindly stems and a large woody base on the ground...
- Aloe decumbensAloe decumbensAloe decumbens is a sprawling, rambling aloe that is endemic to the fynbos vegetation of the Langeberg Mountains near Riversdale in the Western Cape, South Africa....
- Aloe juddiiAloe juddiiAloe juddii is a newly discovered climbing aloe that is native to a few rocky outcrops and a farm , near to Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape, South Africa....
- Aloe commixtaAloe commixtaAloe commixta or the Peninsula Rambling Aloe is a rare climbing aloe that is endemic to southwestern South Africa. It naturally occurs only on the Table Mountain range, within the city of Cape Town....