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The genus Aloe is widely used for medicinal purposes throughout its predominantly African distribution, but detailed knowledge of the contemporary value of aloes is patchy. The main aim of this study was to determine the value of Aloe in the Highlands of Ethiopia, a region of rich Aloe diversity, by documenting local uses and perceptions of the sustainability of the species used. Amhara and Tigray community members participated in semi-structured interviews from 110 respondents aged 24-72. Eleven species of Aloe were recorded for medicine, social and environmental uses, animal food, and as bee plants managed for honey production. Of these, the majority of use records were for human medicine to treat malaria and wounds. We found no evidence of non-sustainable harvesting for medicine, but extensive habitat loss and interest in the commercial uses of Aloe present acute threats and indicate the vulnerability of Aloe species in the central and northern Highlands of Ethiopia.

The Sierra de las Nieves National Park, declared by the Spanish Government in July 2021, is part of the Serranía de Ronda (Western Baetic mountains), which is considered one of the main centres of biodiversity and endemicity of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia, Spain) and the Mediterranean Basin. The park and its surroundings have an important diversity of vascular plants, mainly due to the orographic, climatic and geological diversity of the area, which is divided into three biogeographical sectors: Rondeño sector (limestones, dolomites and clays), Bermejense sector (peridotites and serpentines) and Aljíbico sector (gneisses and micaschists). This contribution presents the first catalogue of the vascular flora of this national park and its surrounding area, with 1,387 taxa distributed in 104 families and 542 genera. An amount of 79 taxa are endemic to Andalusia and 57 are endangered: 4 are Critically Endangered (CR), 17 are Endangered (EN) and 36 are Vulnerable (VU).

The confident identification to species rank of fragmentary and sterile plant material is often challenged by the absence of diagnostic characters, which are present in intact specimens, reproductive parts, and plants in habitat. Here, we consider leaf surface micromorphology for the identification of the genus Aloe in the Horn of Africa region. Primary and secondary sculpturing of the leaf epidermis and stomata were characterised from SEM micrographs of 35 taxa representing 31 species of Aloe (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae). Detailed comparison revealed that leaf surface characters are conserved between species and within-species variation is modest. Closely related taxa in the Aloe adigratana—A. camperi—A. sinana species complex could be distinguished using leaf surface micromorphology alone. These characters also guide species delimitation; in the species complex including A. schoelleri and A. steudneri, a narrow circumscription is supported, whereas with A. ankoberensis and A. pulcherrima, a wider circumscription merits consideration. The observed trait combinations are characteristic of plants in xeric environments, with the most notable feature being stomata that are most deeply sunken in species in more arid habitats. Our findings support the use of comparative study of micromorphological leaf surface characters for species identification and taxonomy in the genus Aloe.

Aloe ×selmarii (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a hybrid between A. davyana var. davyana and A. parvibracteata, is described. Although the natural distribution ranges of the parent species do not overlap, this nothospecies is often encountered as a result of the cultivation of A. parvibracteata outside its natural range, in areas where A. davyana var. davyana occurs naturally.

A new species of Aloe, A. uigensis (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), is described from northwestern Angola. It is a non-proliferous, single-stemmed species that bears narrowly elongated, acuminate racemes with orange to pale reddish flowers. Aloe uigensis is compared to some long-known as well as recently described species of Aloe from Angola, but does not have close relatives with which it can be confused in the country.

Dianellaensifolia is a perennial herb with thickened rhizome and is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands. This plant has the potential to be used as a source of herbal medicine. This study investigated further phytochemistry and tyrosinase inhibitory effect of some constituents isolated from D. ensifolia. Four new flavans, (2S)-4’-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavan (1), (2S)-3’,4’-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-8-methylflavan (2), (2S)-2’-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavan (3), and (2S,1′S)-4-hydroxy-4-(7-methoxy-8-methylchroman-2-yl)-cyclohex-2-enone (4), together with 67 known compounds, including 10 flavans (5–14), 5 flavanones (15–19), 3 flavone (20–22), 5 chalcones (23–27), 3 chromones (28–30), 15 aromatics (31–45), 7 phenylpropanoids (46–52), one lignan (53), 7 steroids (54–60), one monoterpene (61), one diterpene (62), 4 triterpenes (63–66), a carotenoid (67), 2 alkaloids (68 and 69), and 2 fatty acids (70 and 71) were isolated from D. ensifolia. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physical and spectroscopic data analyses. Moreover, compounds 1–4, 8, 10–15, 20, 21, and 41 were evaluated for their mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory effect. Compounds 11 and 14 strongly inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity with IC50 values of 8.6 and 14.5 μM, respectively.

Following the reinstatement of Aloe davyana Schönland (1905: 288) (Fig. 1A) as an accepted taxon at the rank of species, rather than at that of variety under A. greatheadii Schönland (1904: 121) (Smith et al. 2020), we here reinstate A. davyana var. subolifera Groenewald (1939: t. 732). Aloe davyana var. subolifera was accepted by all aloe researchers until it was placed in the synonymy of a broadened concept of A. greatheadii var. davyana (Schönl.) Glen & Hardy (1987: 490), a view with which we do not agree.

Aloe davyana (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a winter-flowering aloe that is endemic to the north-central interior of South Africa, is reinstated at the rank of species based on plant size, clumping habit, leaf colour and ornamentation, inflorescence architecture, and several flower characters. In the past it was sometimes treated as A. greatheadii var. davyana.

Aloe marlothii Berger (1905: 87) (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) (Fig. 1), a single-stemmed, tree-like aloe, occurs widespread in northeastern South Africa and adjacent parts of Botswana, for example near Lobatse in the southeast of the country from where it was originally described (Fig. 2), Zimbabwe, and Mozambique (see maps in Klopper & Smith 2010: 92, Fig. 32 and Van Wyk & Smith 2014: 68). Wherever A. marlothii co-occurs with other species of Aloe Linnaeus (1753: 319), hybrids are produced (Reynolds 1950, Smith & Figueiredo 2015). Aloe globuligemma Pole-Evans (1915: 30, Plates X [Figs 1 and 2] and XI [Figs 1, 2, and 3]) (Fig. 3), a stemless, medium-sized aloe, is restricted to the more subtropical parts of northeastern South Africa, southern Zimbabwe, and Mozambique (see map in Van Wyk & Smith 2014: 158). Where these two species, A. globuligemma and A. marlothii, co-occur, for example at Lebowakgomo, about 50 km southeast of Polokwane, the capital of South Africa’s Limpopo province, a bewildering range of striking hybrids with considerable horticultural potential are found (Reynolds 1950: 446, 484, Retief 2018). This hybrid also occurs a bit further south of the Lebowakgomo location, as well as elsewhere in the Limpopo province, in Sekhukhuneland in the vicinity of Steelpoort and Ohrigstad.

Walker et al. (2019: 12) suggested that the name Aloe zeyheri (Barber 1870a: 80) (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) was merely proposed and not validly published for the species of tree aloe today known as Aloidendron barberae (Dyer 1874a: 566) Klopper & Gideon F. Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9) (Fig. 1A–C). Aloidendron barberae occurs naturally along the eastern seaboard of South Africa, and slightly inland, and caused quite a stir in botanical circles when it was first and more or less simultaneously collected in South Africa’s Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

Aloe arborescens Miller (1768: no. 3 on first page headed “ALO ALO”) (Fig. 1A) is a parent of some intergeneric alooid hybrids, as well as of interspecific hybrids in Aloe Linnaeus (1753: 319), that have become popular in domestic and even industrial-scale horticulture [see for example Smith & Figueiredo 2015: 20, and Figueiredo & Smith 2019 on A. ×caesia Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck (1817: 29)]. Numerous forms of A. arborescens have additionally been provided with cultivar names (Van Jaarsveld 2002, Smith et al. 2021). Where A. arborescens and A. hardyi Glen (1987: plate 1942) (Figs 1B, C) are grown together, these two species hybridise with great ease and offspring of this hybrid are increasingly found in cultivation. However, to date the hybrid with the formula A. arborescens × A. hardyi does not have a name to enable easy communication about it. We here describe this increasingly common horticultural hybrid as A. ×engelbrechtii Gideon F.Sm. & Figueiredo (Figs 2A, B).

Two new species of Aloe were found in the eastern rainforest of Madagascar during a Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre (KMCC) Team expedition in November 2014. The first species, Aloe vatovavensis is rare in this habitat. The second, Aloe rakotonasoloi, exhibits characters that are intermediate between the features of Aloe s.str. and the related genus Lomatophyllum (now Aloe sect. Lomatophyllum). Despite being one of the most species-rich areas for plant diversity, only a few species of Aloe—typically those of Aloe sect. Lomatophyllum—have been recorded in the eastern rainforest of Madagascar to-date.

The KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa has a varied topography, geology and climate and presents diverse habitats that support a rich and diverse flora. Aloes are well represented in KwaZulu-Natal, with four genera [Aloe L., Aloiampelos Klopper & Gideon F.Sm., Aloidendron (A.Berger) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. and Aristaloe Boatwr. & J.C.Manning] and 49 taxa occurring in the province. Fourteen of these are endemic and eleven near-endemic to the province. A floristic treatment of the aloes of KwaZulu-Natal is presented in the form of a synoptic review. Included are an identification key to the aloes that occur naturally in the province, species-level distribution maps and accompanying images, so providing for the first time, an atlas of aloe occurrence in this part of the subcontinent.

Wild leafy vegetables are commonly included in the diet of people in rural homesteads. Among various wild edible vegetables in South Africa, Trachyandra divaricata (Sandkool) is one of the most abundant but underutilized due to the dearth of literature on its cultivation and nutritional value. In the present study, the effect of potassium application and pruning on growth dynamics, mineral composition, and proximate and phytochemical content in T. divaricata were evaluated. Treatments consisted of three potassium concentrations (0.0072, 0.0144, and 0.0216 M) supplemented in the form of potassium sulphate (K2SO4) with four pruning levels (unpruned, 5, 10, and 15 cm) applied in each treatment. The potassium doses were added to the nutrient solution, while the control treatment was sustained and irrigated with nutrient solution only. The results revealed a significant increase in flower bud yield, height, total dry and wet weight of shoots and roots, as well as ash and neutral detergent fibre in plants irrigated with 0.0072 M of K2SO4 without pruning. Conversely, chlorophyll content and Ca were comparable among treatments, while the highest yield of Na, P, N, and Zn was recorded in treatment 100 mL of K2SO4 with 10 cm pruning. Likewise, the highest antioxidant value (Polyphenols, Flavonol and DPPH) was obtained from plants irrigated with 0.0072 M of K2SO4 with 10 cm pruning. Based on these findings, T. divaricata is a promising leafy vegetable as a minimum dose (0.0072 M) of K with moderate pruning optimised its productivity in terms of growth, biomass parameters, nutritional content, and antioxidant potential. Due to its rich nutritional value, the plant should be domesticated and studied further for its potential nutraceutical benefits.

The little-known Aloe labiaflava (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), which has for long been regarded as a hybrid between A. davyana and A. longibracteata, is reinstated as an accepted species endemic to a small area in the western Mpumalanga province of South Africa. It differs from both A. davyana and A. longibracteata in several reproductive morphological characters not present in these two species, especially by almost invariably producing only a single inflorescence per flowering season and by having a perianth that is distinctly flared at the mouth, with especially the external, apical ⅓ of the perianth conspicuously yellow.

Although most species of Aloe Linnaeus (1753: 319) flower in winter, the comparatively few taxa of this genus that occur naturally above South Africa’s climatically severe Great Escarpment tend to flower during spring when temperatures are on the increase. Two such species are A. broomii Schönland (1907: 137) and A. grandidentata Salm-Dyck (1822: 3 [species no. 2]).

The genus Aloe (Asphodelaceae) is well known in Tanzania for its medicinal uses, yet its ethnobotany has not previously been systematically studied in the region. To document the indigenous knowledge of Aloe species, data were collected using semi-structured interviews from 180 respondents of different gender and age groups at four study sites in Tanzania. Thirty-seven uses of Aloe were recorded for 11 species; the majority were for human medicine (73%), and the most frequently mentioned ailment treated was malaria. Leaves were the most frequently used part of the plant. Respondents in the 21–45 and 45 + age groups reported the greatest diversity of uses of Aloe species across the sites, suggesting that the transmission of plant use traditions to younger generation in the 15–20 age group may be waning. Perceived declines in wild populations of Aloe indicate the vulnerability of species and associated indigenous knowledge, and the need for their conservation.

A comprehensive checklist of 2902 vascular plant species for Namaqualand (Western and Northern Cape Provinces of South Africa) is presented, in which the local traditional and contemporary human uses of 384 taxa are indicated. Information was obtained through a literature study and extensive field survey work, including rigorous and detailed interviews and field walks. Of the total of 383 useful plant species, 240 are used in traditional medicine, 185 are edible, and 216 are used in crafts and other miscellaneous uses. Several species are used in more than one of the three main use categories. A total of 119 vascular plant families is represented in Namaqualand, of which 78 include species that are used locally for medicine, food and crafts. Species from 66 families are used for medicinal purposes, 53 include edible species and 57 include species used for crafts and other miscellaneous uses. The families that contribute the highest numbers of useful plant species are Asteraceae (51 spp.), Geraniaceae (23 spp.), Aizoaceae (22 spp.), Apocynaceae (18 spp.), Iridaceae (17 spp.), Asphodelaceae (13 spp.), Fabaceae (13 spp.), Lamiaceae (11 spp.), Apiaceae (10 spp.) and Amaryllidaceae (9 spp.). There are 45 new species-records of plants with human uses and 147 newly reported uses (38 medicinal, 51 edible and 58 crafts and miscellaneous uses). The checklist was used for a regression analysis of the total number of available plant species per family (as independent variable) and the total number of species per family that are used in Namaqualand (as dependent variable). Residual values of predicted vs actual numbers of species show an over-representation of especially Asteraceae (+ 21), Geraniaceae (+ 16) and Apocynaceae (+ 11) and an under-representation of Aizoaceae (− 17), Hyacinthaceae (− 7) and Poaceae (− 6). The inventory data and results are not only of importance in understanding the broader plant use patterns of the Khoi-San legacy in the Succulent Karoo Biome, but also contribute to the conservation of the cultural heritage of the people of Namaqualand, and as a source of ethnobotanical data for future research and comparative analyses.

A phylogeny of Dianella is presented based on Bayesian and maximum parsimony analyses of a combined molecular data set using three chloroplast markers (trnQUUG–5'rps16, 3'rps16–5'trnK(UUU) and rpl1...

A new species of Aloe (Asphodelaceae) is described from Somaliland. It differs from other species in forming large clumps and in having sap that is initially yellow but quickly turns bright red and then dark red or reddish-brown, paniculate red-flowered inflorescences and uniformly coloured leaves with red teeth. Its recognition raises the number of species known from the combined area of Somaliland and Somalia s.s. from 31 to 36. A map portraying species density of Aloe by country, as that genus is now interpreted, shows that Aloe has its highest density on islands in the Indian Ocean but that, within Africa, the greatest density is in countries along the eastern highlands. The data also reinforce the importance of field botanists in determining a country’s known plant diversity.

Aloe belonging to the family Asphodelaceae family, formerly Liliaceae, is a genus of herbaceous and succulents. Shoot tip of 2-3 cm were collected from offshoot of Aloe barbadensis and Aloe littoralis, explants were surface sterilized, after were inoculated with MS medium containing various concentrations of BA (0.5, 1, 2 mg/L), IAA (0.5, 1 mg/L). The cultures were incubated at 25 ± 2°C under a 16 h photoperiod. In A. barbadensis and A. littoralis, the best treatment for highest shoot number and bud proliferation was MS medium containing 2 mg/L BA and 0.5 mg/L IAA. Maximum percentage of proliferated shoot buds (90% and 95%) from a single explant were obtained in MS medium after 4-5 weeks of the second and the first subcultures, respectively. Both of the species were adventitious root induced in MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L IAA after the second subculture. Genome size of the regenerated plants in A. barbadensis and A. littoralis species were differed in different treatments (from 30.66 pg to 39.62 pg, 2C value). One sample T-test showed significant difference (P=0.001) between genome sizes of two species studied when A. littoralis showed higher C-value in comparison to A. barbadensis. Different genome sizes were also indicated among treatments and subcultures. The mixoploids identified in flow cytometry histograms by the presence of two or three peaks of in A. barbadensis and A. littoralis histograms in apple regenerated plants in different treatments and subcultures in treatment 2 (BA 1 mg/L, IAA 0.5 mg/L).

The genus Corynotheca F.Muell. ex Benth. is revised and Corynotheca borealis R.L.Barrett, Keighery & T.Macfarlane is described as a new species from the east Kimberley region of Western Australia and the adjacent Northern Territory. Corynotheca dichotoma (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. is reinstated for a species growing on yellow sands in the Mid west of Western Australia. The taxonomic and geographic limits of varieties of C. micrantha (Lindl.) Druce are reconsidered and all are recognised at specific rank. Four new combinations are made: Corynotheca divaricata (R.J.F.Hend.) R.L.Barrett & T.Macfarlane, Corynotheca elongata (R.J.F.Hend.) R.L.Barrett & T.Macfarlane, Corynotheca gracilis (R.J.F.Hend.) R.L.Barrett & T.Macfarlane and Corynotheca panda (R.J.F.Hend.) R.L.Barrett & T.Macfarlane. All are illustrated and a revised key to the thirteen species of Corynotheca recognised is provided.

A new dihydroisocoumarin glucoside, vacillanoside (3), and two new anthrone C-glycosides microdantin derivatives, vacillantin A (10) and B (11), together with nine known compounds belonging to the anthraquinone, anthrone and isocoumarin groups were isolated from the leaves of Aloe vacillans. The structures were determined based on spectroscopic evidence including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) data, along with comparisons to reported data. The leaves were used to extract compounds with different solvents. The extracts were tested for antioxidant activity with a variety of in vitro tests including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH&bull, ), 2,2&prime, azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS&bull, +), ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), superoxide, and nitric oxide radical scavenging assays. The dichloromethane fraction was most active, displaying significant free radical scavenging activity. The n-butanol fraction also showed notable activity in all assays. Therefore, these findings support the potential use of A. vacillans leaves as an antioxidant medication due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds.

A new species of Aloe from the Indian Desert, India, is described and illustrated as Aloe trinervis sp. nov. The new species shows similarity with Aloe vera in having succulent, rosette leaves, persistent bracts, free tepals, and six stamens but differs in the recurved teeth instead of deltoid teeth on the leaf margins, 3-nerved bracts, branched and taller inflorescences (90–95 cm long), longer flowers of 31–34 mm in length, flowers with a pale green color being brownish at middle, and longer stamens (29–33 mm). A detailed description with data on its distribution and relevant taxonomic notes, comparative morphological, and color photo plate are provided for easy identification of the proposed new species, A. trinervis in relation to A. vera.

As part of a revised generic classification of Aloe Linnaeus (1753: 319) sensu lato (Grace et al. 2013), Aloidendron (Berger 1905: 56) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9) was established to accommodate six tree aloe species that Berger (1905) previously placed in two sections, Aloe sect. Aloidendron Berger (1905: 56) and A. sect. Dracoaloë Berger (1905: 56). The six species transferred to Aloidendron were: A. barberae (Dyer 1874: 566) Klopper & Gideon F. Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9), A. dichotomum (Masson 1776: 310) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9), A. eminens (Reynolds & Bally 1958: 187) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9), A. pillansii (Guthrie 1928: 15) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9), A. ramosissimum (Pillans 1939: 66) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9), and A. tongaense (Van Jaarsveld 2010: 71) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 10). These tree aloes, but not A. sabaeum (Schweinf.) Boatwr. & J.C.Manning in Manning et al. (2014: 67) (see next paragraph), have been treated by Van Jaarsveld & Judd (2015).

Bulbine dewetii (Asphodelaceae) is named; it is an obligatory geophytic cremnophyte from the sheer rock faces of the lower southern slopes of the Heks River Mountains (Western Cape, South Africa). Bulbine dewetii usually grows solitary (rarely proliferating and forming small groups) with soft pendent leaves, flowering during the month of November (late spring, S. Hemisphere), the flowers open during the afternoon and remain open during the night. The description of this taxon forms part of an extensive survey of cliff-dwelling succulent and bulbous-succulent taxa in South Africa and Namibia.

This study evaluated the effect of salinity and soilless media on the vegetative growth, phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacity of Trachyandra ciliata (wild cabbage) to develop its growth protocol and explore its potential as a natural source of secondary metabolites. Treatments consisted of different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl), control- 0 mM, 100 mM, 200 mM, 400 mM, while different in vitro assays were used for phytochemical and antioxidant screenings. Findings from the study showed that low salinity (100 mM) significantly increased chlorophyll content, plant height, leaf number, plant fresh weight, and production of inflorescence, particularly in Peat-Perlite-Vermiculite (PPV) medium. In contrast, the control was the most productive treatment in plant dry weight except for the inflorescence. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in 200 mM of NaCl treatment in combination with PPV medium, which also produced the highest mean values for polyphenols, while 100 mM was the best for flavonols. Therefore, T. ciliata proved to be more productive vegetatively under low salinity in combination with PPV soilless media. A combination of 200 mM + PPV treatment was also recommended for maximum production of antioxidants for T. ciliata.

Aloe, the largest genus in the Asphodelaceae family, comprises 548 species, with A. vera, A. arborescens and A. ferox being among the most widely studied species. Aloe species originated in arid climates and cover various habitats, from sea level up to 2700 m, and from desert to closed-canopy forests. For human health, Aloe species are the richest natural sources. The biological activity of Aloe sp. constituents covers a wide spectrum. Most of the indications come from traditional, folkloric use and several have been verified by in vitro or in vivo studies. Emodin, the main phenolic component, has showed anti-neoplastic, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and toxicological potential for use in pharmacology. Polysaccharides, with acemannan being the most important, are present in high abundance in Aloe gels. Acemannan has been reported to have applications in oral, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, oncology, dentistry and wound healing. The effectiveness of Aloe sp. constituents on colon, liver, duodenum, skin, pancreas, intestine, lungs and kidneys cancers was highly studied with remarkable findings. Regarding the metabolic syndrome, Aloe sp. can be used as an antidiabetic and reduces cholesterol and total body fat. Constituents of Aloe sp. are nontoxic in experimental acute oral studies and are widely used in cosmetology and as bitter agents or consistence modifiers in food and beverages. Traditional Aloe remedies cover most human diseases; however, in order to gain legitimacy, the Aloe-derived drugs must have a well-established composition, with thoroughly investigated adverse effects and conventional drug interactions.

The natural hybrid between Aloe arborescens Mill. and A. chortolirioides A.Berger var. chortolirioides (Asphodelaceae) is here formally described as a nothospecies, A. ×inopinata Gideon F.Sm., N.R.Crouch & Oosth. The hybrid occurs at Kamhlabane, about 37 km [22 miles] east of Barberton, as well as at Twello 373JU in the Barberton district, Mpumalanga. It has been known in horticulture for many years, following the introduction of wild-sourced material by Gilbert W. Reynolds.

The taxonomic history and application of the name Aloe ×schoenlandii Baker (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae), a hybrid between Aloe maculata All. and Aloe striata Haw., is reviewed. It is shown that the name Aloe ×schimperi Tod., which predates the name Aloe ×schoenlandii by several decades, refers to the same hybrid and should be adopted. The name Aloe ×paxii is also discussed and its application resolved. The name Aloe ×schimperi is lectotypified.

Plants have evolved a multitude of adaptations to survive extreme conditions. Succulent plants have the capacity to tolerate periodically dry environments, due to their ability to retain water in a specialized tissue, termed hydrenchyma. Cell wall polysaccharides are important components of water storage in hydrenchyma cells. However, the role of the cell wall and its polysaccharide composition in relation to drought resistance of succulent plants are unknown. We investigate the drought response of leaf‐succulent Aloe (Asphodelaceae) species using a combination of histological microscopy, quantification of water content, and comprehensive microarray polymer profiling. We observed a previously unreported mode of polysaccharide and cell wall structural dynamics triggered by water shortage. Microscopical analysis of the hydrenchyma cell walls revealed highly regular folding patterns indicative of predetermined cell wall mechanics in the remobilization of stored water and the possible role of homogalacturonan in this process. The in situ distribution of mannans in distinct intracellular compartments during drought, for storage, and apparent upregulation of pectins, imparting flexibility to the cell wall, facilitate elaborate cell wall folding during drought stress. We conclude that cell wall polysaccharide composition plays an important role in water storage and drought response in Aloe., This paper highlights the significance of structured cell wall folding in the drought‐stressed hydrenchyma tissue of Aloe helenae and Aloe vera. Dynamic changes in cell wall polysaccharide composition, especially mannan polymers, reveal a potential mechanism for plant leaf succulence.

Some confusion exists regarding the application of the name Aloe ×nobilis Haw. to what is arguably the most widely cultivated, named Aloe L. hybrid in Mediterranean Europe. We show that the name is to be applied to a low-growing, multi-rosette hybrid that likely originated in Europe and does not occur naturally in South Africa. The name Aloe ×nobilis Haw. is neotypified with a Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck plate published in 1863.

While working on the cytogenetics of a range of alooids (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) in Lisbon, Portugal, Flavio Resende described several new formae in species of rambling aloe, a group that at the time was interpreted as section Macrifoliae Haw. in Aloe L. This group is nowadays accorded genus rank, as Aloiampelos Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. One of the formae described by Resende, Aloe ciliaris Haw. f. gigas Resende, a pentaploid, is a hybrid between the hexaploid Aloiampelos ciliaris (Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. var. ciliaris and the tetraploid A. ciliaris var. redacta (S.Carter) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. Aloe ciliaris f. gigas is here raised to the rank of nothovariety, as Aloiampelos ciliaris nothovar. gigas (Resende) Gideon F.Sm. & Figueiredo. We neotypify the replaced synonym, Aloe ciliaris f. gigas.

Free PMC Article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5874609/ Abstract: Plant-based systems continue to play an essential role in healthcare, and their use by different cultures has been extensively documented. Asphodelus L. (Asphodelaceae) is a genus of 18 species and of a total of 27 species, sub-species and varieties, distributed along the Mediterranean basin, and has been traditionally used for treating several diseases particularly associated with inflammatory and infectious skin disorders. The present study aimed to provide a general review of the available literature on ethnomedical, phytochemical, and biological data related to the genus Asphodelus as a potential source of new compounds with biological activity. Considering phytochemical studies, 1,8-dihydroxyanthracene derivatives, flavonoids, phenolic acids and triterpenoids were the main classes of compounds identified in roots, leaf and seeds which were correlated with their biological activities as anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory or antioxidant agents. The authors wish to thank the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for financial support of iMed.ULisboa project (UID/DTP/04138/2013) as well as a doctoral fellowship granted to the first author (SFRH/BD/125310/2016). This work was supported by the National Research Foundation (FCT), in Portugal, having no role in the data collection and analysis, interpretation of the findings, preparation of the manuscript, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Hercinothrips dimidiatus Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was detected in several localities in the region of Lisbon, in Portugal, infesting Aloe arborescens Miller (Asphodelaceae) and causing considerable damage. This is the first record of this thrips in Europe and in the Palaearctic region.

Aloe species, which have been used as medicinal plants, belong to the Asphodelaceae family consisting of 530 species. In this study, genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among 40 Aloe species including a putative interspecies hybrid were analyzed using PCR band profiles from eight chloroplast intergenic space markers and nucleotide sequence diversity in the psbK–psbI intergenic region. A phylogenetic tree based on psbK–psbI sequences supported the revised classification of the genus Aloe as polyphyletic with several species be re-allocated into three genera Kumara, Aloidendron, and Aloiampelos. Further, the origin of the putative interspecies Aloe hybrid was characterized through molecular cytogenetics. Fluorescence and genomic insitu hybridization illustrated that the hybrid has a bimodal karyotype with a chromosome complement of 2n = 14, of which complementary halves were derived from two parental species, A. vera and A. arborescens. These findings revealed that the hybrid species was allodiploid. The phylogenetic analysis showed that A. arborescens was the maternal genome donor of the hybrid, as both have identical chloroplast genome sequences. We thus conclude that the allodiploid hybrid should be called A. arborescens × A.vera.

In this study, 25 known anthraquinones and related compounds were isolated from aqueous dissolved Aloe exudates. The antioxidant and anti-osteoporotic activities of the isolated compounds were then investigated. Compounds 8, 11, 20, and 23 showed good antioxidant activity based on peroxyl radical-scavenging and reducing capacity assays at a concentration of 10.0 μM. Additionally, compounds 7, 9, 15–16, 18, 21–22 and 24–25 showed potent peroxyl radical-scavenging activities with values ranging from 5.28 to 14.60 at 10.0 μM. Moreover, compounds 8, 11, 15, 20 and 22 exhibited significantly suppressed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity in nuclear factor-κB ligand-activated osteoclastic RAW 264.7 cells, with values of 125.67, 118.54, 127.64, 125.82 and 124.98%, respectively. These results indicate that Aloe is an excellent source of antioxidant and anti-osteoporotic phytochemicals.

Bioassay guided fractionation of the ethanolic extract of Asphodelus microcarpus Salzm. et Viv. (Xanthorrhoeaceae or Asphodelaceae) resulted in isolation of five compounds identified as asphodosides A-E (1–5). Compounds 2–4 showed activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with IC50 values of 1.62, 7.0 and 9.0 μg/mL, respectively. They also exhibited activity against Staphylococcus aureus (non-MRSA) with IC50 values of 1.0, 3.4 and 2.2 μg/mL, respectively. The structure elucidation of isolated metabolites was carried out using spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR), optical rotation and both experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD).

For the first time, genome size was determined from a total of 343 wild collected plants from the succulent genera Haworthia and Astroloba (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae). Genome sizes (2C values) turned out to be rather close, especially within genus Haworthia s.s. To improve the accuracy of the results, in the end 2,368 measurements were made. The measured nuclear DNA contents provide a further basis for the separation of Haworthia s.l. into three genera. This resulted in 69 recognized species of the new genera Haworthia, Haworthiopsis and Tulista. The 2C values for the largest genus Haworthia (=Haworthia subgenus Haworthia) with 45 species varies only from 21.7 to 24.7 pg. An exception is some accessions of Haworthia nortieri (var. agnis) with up to 27.2 pg. The four varieties of H. nortieri are here elevated to species level and placed in a new section Nortierae Zonn. The genus Haworthiopsis (=Haworthia subgenus Hexangulares) are clearly divided in two sections, each with 10 species: section Coarctatae (25.2–27.6 pg) and Venosae (28.9–33.6 pg). The highest value so far for Haworthia s.l. has been H. limifolia which is hexaploid with 99.8 pg. The third genus Tulista (=Haworthia subgenus QueryRobustipedunculares) with only four species varies from 35.9 to 37.2 pg. Closely related with Tulista also with respect to genome size is the genus Astroloba (including Poelnitzia) with nine species and from 30.4 to 34.0 pg. The results also show that most, but not all varieties are correctly attributed to the nominate species. A few varieties have been reinstated as species of which two have been renamed in Haworthiopsis. Further details are discussed in the main text. The genome sizes were compared with the genome sizes of all species of Gasteria, Chortolirion and 83 Aloe species. Aloidendron (=Aloe section Aloidendron) with 24.5–37.4 pg, comes out as the most basal in the published cladogram for the Alooidae. It leads to the interesting suggestion that the amount of nuclear DNA of the two species in section Kumara (=Aloe section Kumara) namely K. plicatilis (17.6 pg) and K. haemanthifolia (16.2 pg) and species in Aloiampelos (=Aloe section Macrifoliae; (21.6 pg) have decreased strongly, which is a rare phenomenon.

Castillon, J.-P. & L. Nusbaumer (2014). Aloe gautieri J.-P. Castillon & Nusb. (Xanthorrhoeaceae), a new species from the northeastern coast of Madagascar. Candollea 69: 75–80. In English. English and French abstracts. Aloe gautieri J.-P. Castillon & Nusb. (Xanthorrhoeaceae, Asphodeloideae), a new species from the northeastern coast of Madagascar is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically closely related to Aloe fragilis Lavranos & Roosli but differs in having paler flowers, more elongated racemes, ungrouped cauline leaves forming no compact rosette. The distribution, ecology and conservation status of the new species are presented along with a line drawing and colour pictures.

Phylogenetic analysis of plastid (rbcLa, matK, trnH-psbA and the trnL intron) and nuclear (ITS1) sequence datasets in a wide sampling of species of Asphodelaceae: Alooideae provides a generally well-resolved phylogeny. Among traditionally accepted genera only Astroloba and Gasteria are supported as monophyletic. Species of Haworthia are distributed among three clades corresponding to the current subgenera. Aloe s. l. (including Chortolirion) segregates into six, well-supported clades corresponding respectively to sections Dracoaloe (= Aloidendron), Kumara + Haemanthifoliae, Macrifoliae, Aristatae, Serrulatae, and the remainder of the genus. The first three clades are retrieved as early branching lineages, whereas A. sects. Aristatae and Serrulatae are strongly supported as members of a clade including Astroloba + Haworthia subg. Robustipedunculatae. We examine possible options for recircumscribing the genera of Alooideae as reciprocally monophyletic entities. Although morphological and molecular ...

A new species, Kniphofia vandeweghei, is described and illustrated, and the differences with K. princeae , K. goetzei and K. paludosa are discussed. Distribution maps for K. vandeweghei and K. princeae are provided. Kniphofia bequaertii , sometimes regarded as a synonym of K. grantii , is considered to be a good species, and identification characters and distribution information are given. An identification key for all known Kniphofia species from Rwanda is provided.

The early nomenclature and typification of the name Aloe ferox Mill. (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae) is discussed and clarified. It is shown that a plate included in Munting (1727) is the lectotype of the name; we also designate an epitype. A previous neotypification of the name A. ferox was redundant.

The identity of Astroloba pentagona (Haw.) Uitewaal (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae), the type species of the genus Astroloba Uitewaal, is clarified. It is shown that the name A. pentagona can be applied to populations of Astroloba from north of the Swartberg Mountains in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The history of the name A. pentagona is discussed, and the description of the species is amplified. An epitype is designated and a geographical distribution map is provided for the species.

A new species of Aloe (Asphodelaceae) in Kenya is described as A. sergoitensis L.E. Newton and compared with A. elgonica. Aloe sergoitensis differs from A. elgonica by having forked teeth along its leaf margins, less densely-flowered racemes, and coral-red flowers that are smaller than those of A. elgonica. Its leaves are longer and have a slight bluish bloom.

Very little is known about the relations between aloes and soil metals, despite evidence that aloes often form dense populations on metalliferous soils. This study targeted eight rock outcrops where aloes dominated the vegetation to determine whether these succulents have a preference for soils rich in heavy metals and whether they accumulate any of these metals in their leaf tissue. Soil analyses suggested that densely populated rock outcrops are rarely characterised by high concentrations of heavy metals. Analyses of leaf material revealed no metal hyperaccumulators, with most species acting as excluders of most metals. The only metals to be reflected in leaf material to some degree across populations were copper (mean of 4 µg g-1), iron (mean of 208 µg g-1), manganese (mean of 342 µg g-1) and zinc (mean of 31 µg g-1)(all values are based on leaf dry weight). Aloe greatheadii plants from the ultramafic-peralkaline Koedoesfontein Complex in the Vredefort Dome contained the highest concentrations of Mn (558 µg g-1) and were subjected to further sampling across four geological substrates to determine the limits of its accumulation ability (mean of 855 µg g-1 on wehrlite). This aloe was found to be non-hyperaccumulating, but tolerant to elevated Mn concentrations in its tissue. The uptake of Mn from the soil was not so much influenced by soil available Mn, but rather by decreasing pH, and increasing electric conductivity and soil potassium.

A synopsis of the infrageneric classification of Astroloba Uitewaal (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae) is presented, and the 12 known species are assigned to two subgenera. Poellnitzia Uitewaal is reduced to subgenus rank in Astroloba, as A. subg. Poellnitzia (Uitewaal) Molteno & Gideon F.Sm., and three sections within A. subg. Astroloba, A. sect. Intercedens Molteno & Gideon F.Sm., A. sect. Inflata Molteno & Gideon F.Sm., and A. sect. Vastora Molteno & Gideon F.Sm., are recognised, all of which are described here. A new combination, A. spirella (Haw.) Molteno & Gideon F.Sm. based on Haworthia spirella Haw., is published here. An epitype is designated for this combination. The accepted species that are included in the infrageneric groupings are enumerated, along with an indication of their typification. Separate keys are provided to the subgenera, sections and species recognised in Astroloba.