Aloe maculata (syn.Aloe saponaria), the soap aloe or zebra aloe, is a Southern African species of aloe. Local people in South Africa know it informally as the Bontaalwyn in Afrikaans, or lekhala in the Sesotho language.[1]
It is a very variable species and hybridizes easily with other similar aloes, sometimes making it difficult to identify. The leaves range in colour from red to green, but always have distinctive "H-shaped" spots. The flowers are similarly variable in colour, ranging from bright red to yellow, but are always bunched in a distinctively flat-topped raceme. The inflorescence is borne on the top of a tall, multi-branched stalk and the seeds are reputedly poisonous.
Taxonomyedit
This species was previously known as Aloe saponaria (a name that came from the Latin"sapo" meaning soap, as the sap makes a soapy lather in water). Its currently accepted name, according to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), is Aloe maculata ("maculata" means speckled or marked).
Taxonomically, it forms part of the Saponariae series of very closely related Aloe species, together with Aloe petrophila, Aloe umfoloziensis, Aloe greatheadii and Aloe davyana.[2]
Distributionedit
The soap aloe is highly adaptable and is naturally found in a wide range of habitats across Southern Africa, from Zimbabwe in the north, to the Cape Peninsula in the south. Specifically, it is native to southern and eastern South Africa, south-eastern Botswana and Zimbabwe.
In addition, it is now planted around the world as a popular landscape plant in warm desert regions – especially in the United States, where it is the most popular ornamental aloe in the Tucson, Arizona area, and is also popular in California.
Usesedit
This plant gel is used traditionally as a remedy for many medicinal properties by local people like: Skin complains, inflammation, respiratory system, muscular-skeletal system, poisoning, circulation and endocrine system diseases.[3]
Cultivationedit
Plants are damaged by temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C), but recover quickly. In a suitable climate, soap aloes require little attention once established.[4] Aloe maculata is very salt tolerant — a good choice for seaside gardens.[5]
A hybrid between A. maculata and A. striata is very popular in the gardening trade and is used for water-wise landscaping worldwide. Aloe maculata (and some of its many hybrids) are low-growing and propagate by suckers. If permitted, they form a useful ground cover in arid regions. Its spotted leaves are attractive even when the plants are not in flower, but the flowers produce a fine show for several weeks in summer. Pollinators, both birds and insects, visit the flowers avidly for nectar and pollen.[citation needed]
The distinctive flat-topped flower-heads of Aloe maculata are one of the surest ways of identifying this plant.
Green leaves of Aloe maculata show red tips
Aloe maculata inflorescence showing speckled or marked flowers on a multi-branched stalk
Aloe maculata is valuable as a flowering groundcover in arid regions
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aloe maculata.
at University of Arizona Pima County Cooperative Extension
Aloe saponaria at Floridata
at Aloes of the Huntington Gardens
January 01, 1970
aloe, maculata, aloe, saponaria, soap, aloe, zebra, aloe, southern, african, species, aloe, local, people, south, africa, know, informally, bontaalwyn, afrikaans, lekhala, sesotho, language, scientific, classification, kingdom, plantae, clade, tracheophytes, c. Aloe maculata syn Aloe saponaria the soap aloe or zebra aloe is a Southern African species of aloe Local people in South Africa know it informally as the Bontaalwyn in Afrikaans or lekhala in the Sesotho language 1 Aloe maculata Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Monocots Order Asparagales Family Asphodelaceae Subfamily Asphodeloideae Genus Aloe Species A maculata Binomial name Aloe maculataAll Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy 3 Distribution 4 Uses 4 1 Cultivation 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDescription editIt is a very variable species and hybridizes easily with other similar aloes sometimes making it difficult to identify The leaves range in colour from red to green but always have distinctive H shaped spots The flowers are similarly variable in colour ranging from bright red to yellow but are always bunched in a distinctively flat topped raceme The inflorescence is borne on the top of a tall multi branched stalk and the seeds are reputedly poisonous Taxonomy editThis species was previously known as Aloe saponaria a name that came from the Latin sapo meaning soap as the sap makes a soapy lather in water Its currently accepted name according to the South African National Biodiversity Institute SANBI is Aloe maculata maculata means speckled or marked Taxonomically it forms part of the Saponariae series of very closely related Aloe species together with Aloe petrophila Aloe umfoloziensis Aloe greatheadii and Aloe davyana 2 Distribution editThe soap aloe is highly adaptable and is naturally found in a wide range of habitats across Southern Africa from Zimbabwe in the north to the Cape Peninsula in the south Specifically it is native to southern and eastern South Africa south eastern Botswana and Zimbabwe In addition it is now planted around the world as a popular landscape plant in warm desert regions especially in the United States where it is the most popular ornamental aloe in the Tucson Arizona area and is also popular in California Uses editThis plant gel is used traditionally as a remedy for many medicinal properties by local people like Skin complains inflammation respiratory system muscular skeletal system poisoning circulation and endocrine system diseases 3 Cultivation edit Plants are damaged by temperatures below 32 F 0 C but recover quickly In a suitable climate soap aloes require little attention once established 4 Aloe maculata is very salt tolerant a good choice for seaside gardens 5 A hybrid between A maculata and A striata is very popular in the gardening trade and is used for water wise landscaping worldwide Aloe maculata and some of its many hybrids are low growing and propagate by suckers If permitted they form a useful ground cover in arid regions Its spotted leaves are attractive even when the plants are not in flower but the flowers produce a fine show for several weeks in summer Pollinators both birds and insects visit the flowers avidly for nectar and pollen citation needed nbsp The distinctive flat topped flower heads of Aloe maculata are one of the surest ways of identifying this plant nbsp Green leaves of Aloe maculata show red tips nbsp Aloe maculata inflorescence showing speckled or marked flowers on a multi branched stalk nbsp Aloe maculata is valuable as a flowering groundcover in arid regionsSee also editList of Aloe speciesReferences edit Aloe maculata Reynolds G W 1950 The aloes of Southern Africa Balkema Cape Town Grace O M Simmonds M S J Smith G F Van Wyk A E 2008 Therapeutic uses of Aloe L Asphodelaceae in southern Africa Journal of Ethnopharmacology 119 3 604 614 doi 10 1016 j jep 2008 07 002 PMID 18682283 Aloe saponaria Archived 2011 09 27 at the Wayback Machine at University of Arizona Pima County Cooperative Extension Aloe saponaria at FloridataExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aloe maculata Aloe saponaria at University of Arizona Pima County Cooperative Extension Aloe saponaria at Floridata Aloe saponaria at Aloes of the Huntington Gardens Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aloe maculata amp oldid 1162677126, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
