Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 319 (1753).

Derivation: Greek name, aloe, for a member of the genus possibly derived from an earlier Hebrew name referring to its bitter taste.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Aloes.

Description:
Perennials; leaves usually in a rosette, either basal or terminating thick stems, succulent, sometimes spiny.

Inflorescence terminal or lateral, a raceme or panicle; flowers pedicellate; perianth usually yellow to red, tubular; the segments fused or free, each 1-3-nerved; stamens 6, the filaments narrow-linear, anthers linear to oblong, introrse; ovary 3-celled, with numerous ovules in each cell; style filiform with a small capitate stigma.

Fruit a loculicidal capsule; seeds triquetrous, grey or black.

Distribution:  Nearly 300 species in Africa, Arabia and Madagascar. (For illustrations see Reynolds (1950) Aloes of southern Africa.).

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Although no species is probably fully naturalised, there are 2 which do sometimes persist once introduced.

Key to Species:

1. Stem to 2 m or more, branched; perianth slightly inflated at the base	A. arborescens 1.
1. Stemless; perianth with a subglobose swelling at the base	A. saponaria 2.

Author: Not yet available