Aloe immaculata and A. affinis (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), two endemics from northern and eastern South Africa, are different maculate aloe species

GIDEON F. SMITH; RONELL R. KLOPPER

doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.571.3.3

Issue: Vol. 571 No. 3: 4 November 2022

Type: Article

Published: 2022-11-04

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.571.3.3

Page range: 291-300

Abstract views: 35

PDF downloaded: 1

Aloe immaculata and A. affinis (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), two endemics from northern and eastern South Africa, are different maculate aloe species

GIDEON F. SMITH⁺⁻
RONELL R. KLOPPER⁺⁻

Ria Olivier Herbarium, Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031 South Africa.

Foundational Biodiversity Science Division, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X101, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa.

Eswatini Limpopo province Mpumalanga province nomenclature taxonomy Monocots

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Abstract

We show that Aloe immaculata and A. affinis (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) are two different species. Aloe immaculata, a Limpopo province, South Africa, endemic, is therefore reinstated and treated as distinct from A. affinis, an endemic of the eastern, mainly Drakensberg escarpment in Mpumalanga, South Africa, and southeastern Limpopo, and northwestern Eswatini. Vegetatively, the two species mainly differ in terms of leaf colour (dull green to brownish green in the case of A. immaculata and brighter green in the case of A. affinis). Reproductively, the species differ in inflorescence structure (subcapitate to conical and round-topped racemes in the case of A. immaculata and cylindric-acuminate ones in the case of A. affinis) and flower size and colour (pale flesh pink and 28–33 mm long in A. immaculata and scarlet red and 40–45 mm long in A. affinis). The two species are compared and illustrated, and descriptions for both species and a combined distribution map are provided.

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