Operation Wildflower
  • Home
  • Albums
  • Links
    • Botanical Gardens
    • OWF Sites
    • Public Parks, Gardens and Reserves
    • Reference Sites
    • Private Parks, Gardens and Reserves
  • Information
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Articles
    • Plant Records
      • Aloes
      • Bulbs
      • Climbers
      • Cycads
      • Euphorbias
      • Ferns
      • Grasses
      • Herbs
      • Orchids
      • Parasites
      • Shrubs
      • Succulents
      • Trees
    • Sources of Information
    • Disclaimer
    • Subject Index
Home Home » GENERA A » Aloe » Aloe melanacantha
Back to Category Overview
Total images in all categories: 11,632
Total number of hits on all images: 6,749,682

Aloe melanacantha

Aloe melanacantha
Start View full size
[Please activate JavaScript in order to see the slideshow]
Previous Previous
Image 145 of 216  
Next Next
Image 147 of 216  
  • Aloe marlothii hybrid
  • Aloe marlothii inspected by crombec nectarivore
  • Aloe marlothii leaf with visiting batis
  • Aloe marlothii showing fruit capsules
  • Aloe marlothii with blackheaded oreole seeking nectar
  • Aloe marlothii, maybe a hybrid
  • Aloe mawii
  • Aloe mawii flowers
  • Aloe melanacantha
  • Aloe melanacantha black thorns
  • Aloe melanacantha in bloom
  • Aloe melanacantha young, white thorns
  • Aloe melanacantha, the goree
  • Aloe micracantha
  • Aloe microstigma flowering
  • Aloe microstigma getting ready
  • Aloe microstigma in habitat

Image information

Description

The stemless or short-stemmed rosette of Aloe melanacantha may be single as here, or form groups of up to about ten. Dry leaves are seen persisting low down on this old plant with procumbent stem, enjoying full sun for many years already among its protective rocks.

The narrowly triangular leaves curve inward, creating a well-rounded shape with emphasis on the daunting black spines. The spines may be straight, curve inwards or spread; everything possible to keep destructive forces at bay. Melanacantha means black thorns. The leaf colour is dull yellowish green to dark green.

To find A. melanacantha in habitat one has to travel to the coastal area of the Northern Cape or the north-western corner of the Western Cape, from Nieuwoudtville to the Gariep River. Namibians will also find it near the coast just north of the River. The habitat is sandy soil and rocky slopes, such as seen in this photo. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

This is one of four aloes first recorded during Simon van der Stel’s Namaqualand trip of 1685.

The plant should be left in habitat as it usually dies when conditions deviate from the normal (Van Wyk and Smith, 2003; Reynolds, 1974; http://redlist.sanbi.org).

Hits
1228
Photographer
Judd Kirkel
Author
Ivan Latti
 
Back to Category Overview
Powered by JoomGallery