Aloe ballyi

Summary

Aloe ballyi (the "rat aloe") is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae, native to Kenya and Tanzania.

Aloe ballyi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Aloe
Species:
A. ballyi
Binomial name
Aloe ballyi
Reynolds[2]

Description edit

This species of Aloe forms tall, slender stems of up to 6 meters. The leaves are long, slender, and mostly straight - only recurving slightly towards the tips. Dead leaves do not long remain on the stem, unlike in the case of most aloes. Unlike most aloes, the "rat aloe" is poisonous.[3]

The flowers are only mildly tubular, with their segments united for 1/3 of their length.

Distribution edit

It is native to the Eastern Arc Mountains and coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania. This rare aloe grows in the bush with acacias and succulents.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Eastern Arc Mountains.; Coastal Forests CEPF Plant Assessment Project Participants (2009). "Aloe ballyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T30901A9584477. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T30901A9584477.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Aloe ballyi". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  3. ^ "Plant story - a rare tree from Kenya, Aloe ballyi, has been saved by Millennium Seed Bank partners | Kew". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-25.