Aloe plicatilis
Encyclopedia
Aloe plicatilis, the Fan Aloe, is a species of aloe
endemic to a few mountains in the Fynbos
ecoregion
, of the Western Cape
in South Africa
.
In the local Afrikaans language, Aloe plicatilis is commonly known as the Kaapse Kokerboom (= 'Cape Quivertree'), or the Waaier Aalwyn (= 'Fan Aloe').
The plant is has a unique and striking fan-like arrangements of its leaves. It may grow as a large multistemmed shrub, or unusual among Aloe species as a small tree
. It is one of five species of tree-aloe that naturally grow in South Africa, and it is the only tree-aloe that grows in Fynbos habitat
s.
The leaves are grey-green in colour and about 300 mm long and 40 mm wide, and have tiny teeth along the margins that are noticeable only on close inspection.
Aloe plicatilis is one of only four species of aloe in the world which display this unusual fan-like arrangement of its leaves. Two of these species occur only in Madagascar
, while the Fan Aloe and its tiny stemless sister-species Aloe haemanthifolia
occupy the same small mountainous corner of the Western Cape
in South Africa
.
At the end of winter the plants appear to burst into flames as they suddenly produce masses of bright pink fowers.
, between the town of Franschhoek and Elandskloof. Here it grows in well-drained, sandy, slightly acidic soil on steep, rocky, south-facing slopes. It also seems to have a very clumped distribution pattern, with seventeen different populations that are often separated from each other by over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). Its entire habitat lies within the Fynbos
ecoregion, where it is the only tree aloe. The Fynbos consists of dense Mediterranean
shrubland
vegetation, with a Mediterranean climate
of dry hot summers and cold wet winters.
Few aloes are native
in this small southwestern corner region of South Africa. The other Aloe species here are: Aloe succotrina
(Fynbos Aloe), Aloe commixta
(Table Mountain
Aloe), and Aloe haemanthifolia
- rare sister species of Aloe plicatilis.
Threats
The Fan Aloe is threatened by a growing international horticulture
trade, in which large mature wild specimens are illegally collected and exported. It is an endangered species
, on the IUCN Red List
and the National Red List of South African Plants as a Least concern species
, until its population status is assessed for its risk of extinction
based on its distribution and/or population status.
for native plant
, drought tolerant, hummingbird
nectar source, 'modernist
style' gardens, and as an outdoor potted plant and indoor house plant.
The plant grows slowly, and is an attractive and interesting accent plant for sunny planting exposures.
Propagation
Fan Aloes are best propagated from cuttings (truncheons). These should be stems or branches, cut cleanly from the parent plant. After allowing the cutting to dry out (not in direct sunlight) for a week or two, plant it in well-drained soil in a reasonably sunny position - out of reach of competition from faster growing plants. It prefers soil of a medium or slightly acidic pH.
Aloe
Aloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
endemic to a few mountains in the 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...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
, 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...
in 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...
.
In the local Afrikaans language, Aloe plicatilis is commonly known as the Kaapse Kokerboom (= 'Cape Quivertree'), or the Waaier Aalwyn (= 'Fan Aloe').
The plant is has a unique and striking fan-like arrangements of its leaves. It may grow as a large multistemmed shrub, or unusual among Aloe species as a small tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
. It is one of five species of tree-aloe that naturally grow in South Africa, and it is the only tree-aloe that grows in Fynbos habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s.
Description
Aloe plicatilis can grow to a height of 3–5 m (9.8–16.4 ft) tall. The trunk has corky, fire-resistant bark and the branches are forked ("dichotomous"), with masses of succulent, oblong, tongue-shaped leaves arranged in 2 opposite rows like a fan - hence its common name "Fan Aloe" (Likewise its scientific name plicatilis also means "fan-like" or "pleated") . To the imaginative, the leaf-heads look a bit like a mass of grey hands, raised in the air.The leaves are grey-green in colour and about 300 mm long and 40 mm wide, and have tiny teeth along the margins that are noticeable only on close inspection.
Aloe plicatilis is one of only four species of aloe in the world which display this unusual fan-like arrangement of its leaves. Two of these species occur only in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, while the Fan Aloe and its tiny stemless sister-species Aloe haemanthifolia
Aloe haemanthifolia
Aloe haemanthifolia is a critically rare species of Aloe, native to a few high, inaccessible mountain peaks in the Fynbos habitat of Western Cape, South Africa....
occupy the same small mountainous corner 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...
in 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...
.
At the end of winter the plants appear to burst into flames as they suddenly produce masses of bright pink fowers.
Distribution
Aloe plicatilis, in native habitat, is confined to a tiny area in the Western CapeWestern 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...
, between the town of Franschhoek and Elandskloof. Here it grows in well-drained, sandy, slightly acidic soil on steep, rocky, south-facing slopes. It also seems to have a very clumped distribution pattern, with seventeen different populations that are often separated from each other by over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). Its entire habitat lies within the 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...
ecoregion, where it is the only tree aloe. The Fynbos consists of dense Mediterranean
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, defined by the World Wildlife Fund, characterized by dry summers and rainy winters. Summers are typically hot in low-lying inland locations but can be cool near some seas, as near San Francisco, which have a sea of cool waters...
shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
vegetation, with a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
of dry hot summers and cold wet winters.
Few aloes are native
Native plant
Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...
in this small southwestern corner region of South Africa. The other Aloe species here are: Aloe succotrina
Aloe succotrina
Aloe succotrina, the Fynbos aloe, is an endemic aloe of the Western Cape, in southwestern South Africa.-Distribution:Aloe succotrina is naturally found on the Cape Peninsula, and as far as Mossel Bay to the east...
(Fynbos Aloe), Aloe commixta
Aloe commixta
Aloe 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....
(Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
Aloe), and Aloe haemanthifolia
Aloe haemanthifolia
Aloe haemanthifolia is a critically rare species of Aloe, native to a few high, inaccessible mountain peaks in the Fynbos habitat of Western Cape, South Africa....
- rare sister species of Aloe plicatilis.
Threats
The Fan Aloe is threatened by a growing international horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
trade, in which large mature wild specimens are illegally collected and exported. It is an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
and the National Red List of South African Plants as a Least concern species
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
, until its population status is assessed for its risk of extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
based on its distribution and/or population status.
Cultivation
Aloe plicatilis is cultivated as an ornamental plantOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
for native plant
Native plant
Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...
, drought tolerant, hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
nectar source, 'modernist
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
style' gardens, and as an outdoor potted plant and indoor house plant.
The plant grows slowly, and is an attractive and interesting accent plant for sunny planting exposures.
Propagation
Fan Aloes are best propagated from cuttings (truncheons). These should be stems or branches, cut cleanly from the parent plant. After allowing the cutting to dry out (not in direct sunlight) for a week or two, plant it in well-drained soil in a reasonably sunny position - out of reach of competition from faster growing plants. It prefers soil of a medium or slightly acidic pH.
See also
- Index: Fynbos - habitats and species.
- Cape Floristic RegionCape floristic regionThe Cape Floristic Region is a floristic region located near the southern tip of South Africa. It is the only floristic region of the Cape Floristic Kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the Cape Floristic Province.The Cape Floristic Region, the smallest of the six recognised...