caspervanzyl's Identifications

Aloe (Cent.Pta)

Unfortunately all the plants have been damaged by grass fires around them. The leaves that are there are badly damaged or near burnt off. There are 50+ plants on this sight all approx. 1 meter in height.

Hurry - about to bloom en masse

Stemless spotted aloe. Peduncle tends to split into three inflorescences. To start with these three are enshrouded in one sheath (bracts) before splitting, see photographs. Very common in reserve but in very few are in flower. Judging by the my informal observation that nearly all of them are in bud, it should be a good show over the next month.

Regarded as a separate species by Van Wyk and Smith (3rd ed) namely Aloe davyana and also endemic. However the Redlist sees it as a variety A. greatheadii var. davyana and only indigenous.