Kransaalwyn

Taxonomy
Scientific Name
Aloe perfoliata L.
Higher Classification
Monocotyledons
Family
ASPHODELACEAE
Synonyms
Aloe albispina Haw., Aloe brevifolia (Aiton) Haw. (later homonym), not of Mill (1771), Aloe commelinii Willd., Aloe flavispina Haw., Aloe parvispina Schönland, Aloe perfoliata L. var. brevifolia Aiton, Aloe perfoliata L. var. kappa Willd., Aloe perfoliata L. var. mitriformis (Mill.) Aiton, Aloe perfoliata L. var. nu L., Aloe xanthacantha Willd.
Common Names
Kransaalwyn (a), Mitre Aloe (e)
National Status
Status and Criteria
Data Deficient - Insufficient Information
Assessment Date
2019/06/25
Assessor(s)
R.R. Klopper & L. von Staden
Justification
Aloe perfoliata is a very poorly known species. As it is the type species of the genus Aloe, taxonomic rules dictate that the name should be upheld. However, it is not known which Aloe species this name applies to, as the type specimen is too poor to match to any known Aloe species. Because Aloe perfoliata is not known in the wild, an assessment of its risk of extinction cannot be done.
Distribution
Endemism
South African endemic
Range
This species is only known from the type specimen, which has no locality description. The specimen is assumed to have originated from South Africa, but the distribution is not known.
Habitat and Ecology
Major system
Terrestrial
Description
The habitat of this species is unknown.
Population

Aloe perfoliata is only known from the type specimen, which has no collector, collection date or locality information associated with it. As the species was described in 1753 (Linnaeus 1753), the specimen therefore dates to some time prior to 1753. As the specimen has not been matched to any wild populations of Aloe, the status of the population is not known.


Population trend
Unknown
Notes
Aloe perfoliata is the type species of the genus Aloe, described by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753. The type specimen in the Linnaean Herbarium is however very poor, consisting of a single inflorescence without any leaves (Klopper et al. 2016). It has not been possible to match this specimen with certainty to any known Aloe species (Klopper et al. 2016), although some authors, e.g. Reynolds (1969) and Glen and Hardy (2000) applied the name to a species now known as Aloe mitriformis (Van Wyk and Smith 2014).
Assessment History
Taxon assessed
Status and Criteria
Citation/Red List version
Aloe perfoliata L.Least Concern Raimondo et al. (2009)
Bibliography

Glen, H.F. and Hardy, D.S. 2000. Aloaceae (First part): Aloe. In: G. Germishuizen (ed). Flora of Southern Africa 5 Part 1, Fascicle 1:1-159. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.


Klopper, R.R., Smith, G.F., Figueiredo, E. and van Wyk, A.E. 2016. (2469-2472) Proposals to reject the names Aloe perfoliata, A. obscura, A. picta, and A. perfoliata var. saponaria (A. saponaria)(Asphodelaceae: Alooideae). Taxon 65(5):1173-1175.


Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. (First ed.). Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm.


Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. Red List of South African Plants. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.


Reynolds, G.W. 1969. The Aloes of South Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.


Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G.F. 2014. Guide to the Aloes of South Africa. (Third ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.


Citation
Klopper, R.R. & von Staden, L. 2019. Aloe perfoliata L. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Accessed on 2023/12/08

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Distribution map

© D. Turner

© Outramps

© Outramps

© J.H. Vlok/A.L. Schutte-Vlok


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