Aloe Prostrata

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in biology, Aloe Prostrata (Latin:Aloe prostrata (H.Perrier) L.E.Newton & G.D.Rowley) is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Asphodelaceae. The native range of this species is W. Madagascar. It is a succulent perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Aloe prostrata is a low growing, stemless, solitary or, stoloniferous species forming small tufts. It has dark, contorted leaves, making it looking like a vegetable octopus prowling on the ground. In habitat it can be often observed that individuals L. prostratum either growing in shade or fully exposed to the sun, not only show morphologically different phenotypes but are also strikingly different in pigmentation, with the shade plants exhibiting a deep green and the sun plants often show intense dark brown or blackish colouration. They bear few-flowered racemes of carmine-red flowers in early summer followed by long-lasting, fleshy, yellowish, berry-like fruits.

Derivation of specific name: The epithet “prostrata/prostratum” comes from the spreading leaves, from Latin ‘prostratus’ (prostrate, creeping).

Leaves: 10-20(-25), densely rosulate, spreading, lanceolate-narrowed, falcate, tip with 3-4 teeth, 15-20 cm long, 1.5-2 cm wide, dark green to dark brown, with many confluent white to greenish spots patches and lines. Marginal teeth 3 mm long, white, 5-15 mm apart. The leaf juice is yellow.

Inflorescence: Racemose, unbranched, up to 12(-17) cm long, simple. Racemes cylindrical, 4-6 cm long, with few flowers. Occasionally, one to two bulbils are formed. Bracts longer than pedicels (5-11 mm long). Pedicels (3-)4-5(-10) mm long.

Flowers: Bright carmine-red, green tipped, 20-25 mm long, base truncate, 6-7(-9) mm in diameter across the ovary, narrowed to 5 mm above, then extended to the mouth to 6-7 mm. Their outer tepals are not fused together over a length of 5 to 8 mm. The stamens and the stylus hardly protrude from the flower.

Fruits (berries): Long-lasting, fleshy, yellowish.