Aloe globuligemma

Aloe globuligemma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Aloe
Species: A. globuligemma
Binomial name
Aloe globuligemma
Pole-Evans
Synonyms
  • Aloe globuligemma Mill.

Aloe globuligemma is a species of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, it is an evergreen, succulent, perennial plant. The plant forms large, dense clumps. It is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Taxonomy

Aloe globuligemma is a genus in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, subfamily Aloe. The name derived its name from Latin language globulus meaning ‚little ball‘, and gemma, meaning ‚bud‘ [1] referring to the globular flower buds.[2] Common name is witchdoctor's aloe [3]

Description

First description by Illtyd Buller Pole-Evans published in 1915.[4]

Plant morphology

Aloe globuligemma grows, building short stems up to 50 centimeters length, forming great, dense clumps by sprouting. The creeping stems are up to 50 centimeters long.

About 20 of the lance shaped leaves form a rosette. The leaves are is 45 up to 50 centimeters long and 8 up to 9 centimeters wide. [5]

The milky white, pale brown topped teeth at the leaves margins are 2 millimeters long in 10 millimeters distance, mostly pointing to the leaves top.

Picture [6]

Distribution

Aloe globuligemma is found in Botswana, Zimbabwe and in south african provinces Limpopo and Mpumalanga in hot dry areas bushlands at elevations from 600 to 1325 meters .,[7] often in large colonies, in bare or sparsely grassed places, often in eroded areas and in open deciduous woodland [8]

Uses

Aloe globuligemma is used in Traditional African medicine [9] E.g.A leaf infusion is taken traditionally to relieve stomach-ache, as a cure for venereal diseases and as an abortifacient, although abortifacient activity of the infusion could not be demonstrated in tests.

References

  1. Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-05597-3, p. 95.
  2. http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=113890
  3. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=950483#
  4. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. Volume5, 1915, p. 30.
  5. Urs Eggli: Glossary of Botanical Terms with Special Reference to Succulent Plants including German equivalents. British Cactus and Succulent Society, Richmond 1993, ISBN 0-902099-22-1, p. 41.
  6. http://lifestyleseeds.co.za/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=672&flypage=flypage.tpl&pop=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=71&vmcchk=1&Itemid=71
  7. http://www.koeltz.com/product.aspx?pid=175130
  8. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Aloe+globuligemma
  9. Arnold, T.H., Prentice, C.A., Hawker, L.C., Snyman, E.E., Tomalin, M., Crouch, N.R. & Pottas-Bircher, C. (2002). Medicinal and Magical Plants of Southern Africa: An Annotated Checklist. Strelitzia. 13: 1-203.

Bibliography

External links

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