Asphodelaceae
Aloe

Aloe ruspoliana Baker

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 7: 460 (1898)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. & E. Ethiopia to Kenya. It is a succulent perennial or chamaephyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/201329/2699950

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Aloaceae, Susan Carter. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1994

Distribution
Flora districts: K1 K4 K7 Range: Ethiopia (Ogaden) and Somalia
[FTEA]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Plants stemless or with stems to 50 cm long, forming small to large dense groups
Morphology Leaves
Leaves c. 16, ascending-erect, 50–60 x 12 cm, uniformly olive-green, very occasionally with a few white spots
Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina Leaf margin
Margins very narrowly cartilaginous, with minute white teeth, 0.5–1 mm long, 2–8 mm apart, becoming obsolete towards the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences with many spreading branches, to 180 cm tall; racemes flatly capitate, broader than long; bracts 3 x 1.5 mm; pedicels 5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellow, ± horizontal; perianth 16–20 mm long, 5 mm across the ovary, outer tepals free for 6–8 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers exserted 2–3 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma exserted 3–4 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 4 x 2 mm.
Distribution
C1, 2; S1–3; Ethiopia (Ogaden) and Kenya
Ecology
Altitude up to at least c. 300 m.
Vernacular
Dacar (Somali)
[FSOM]

Uses

Use
According to Kuchar 17157 this is poisonous to sheep and camel, and used for poisoning hyena.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0