''Aloe aldabrensis'' (the "Aldabra Aloe", previously ''Lomatophyllum aldabrensis'') is a species of ''

Aloe ''Aloe'' (; also written ''Aloë'') is a genus containing over 650 species of flowering plant, flowering succulent plant, succulent plants.WFO (2022): Aloe L. Published on the Internet;http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000001341. Acc ...

'' endemic to the islands of

Aldabra Aldabra, the world's second-largest coral atoll (the largest is Kiritimati), is located east of the continent of Africa. It is part of the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are part of the Outer Islands (Seychelles), Outer Islands ...

in the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

, where it can still be found in coastal scrub on limestone-based soil.

Description

It is part of a group of aloes which bear fleshy berries, and were therefore classed as a separate group, '' Lomatophyllum''. Within this group it is most closely related to '' Aloe pembana'' and '' Aloe alexandrei'' - both also from islands in the Mozambique channel - as well as '' Aloe peyrierasii'' from the north east corner of

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. These species are also more distantly related to ''

Aloe purpurea ''Aloe purpurea'' (previously ''Lomatophyllum purpureum/borbonicum/aloiflorum''. Locally known as "Mazambron" or "Socotrine du Pays") is a species of ''Aloe'' endemic to the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, where it formerly occurred o ...

'' of

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

, but differ by their larger leaves, longer flowers, and more widely interspaced leaf-teeth. Stamp of Seychelles - Zil Eloigne Sesel - 1992 - Colnect 660816 - Lomatopyllum aldabrense

Stamp of Seychelles - Zil Eloigne Sesel - 1992 - Colnect 660816 - Lomatopyllum aldabrense

The Aldabra aloe usually grows singly, close to the ground, with at most a short stem. Its leaves are green with red or orange tints. Its multi-branched inflorescence bears orange-red flowers in racemes, and its seeds develop in fleshy berries. ''Medicinal Plants, Volume 1'' Prota. 2008.

References

aldabrensis Endemic flora of Aldabra Endangered flora of Africa {{Asphodelaceae-stub