Aloe somaliensis Watson (1899)

DESCRIPTION: stemless, solitary, leaves 12-16, 15-35x7 cm glossy pale to brownish green with numerous spots. Teeth 4 mm long, 8-10 mm apart. Inflorescence 60-80 cm, usualy branched, flowers pinkish scarlet, about 28-30 mm. CULTIVATION: very easy to grow. It is easy to confuse it with A. jucunda, which is smaller in size and has light-colored teeth and an unbranched stem. This aloe is closely related to A. jucunda biochemically, genetically, and anatomically. A. hemmingii is also extremely similar (almost identical, and most authors rightly refer to it only as a synonym for Aloe somaliensis), but it does not grow as quickly as typical Aloe somaliensis, so it is slightly smaller and its inflorescence is sparsely branched. Older Aloe somaliensis plants may lose their spots and transition almost into var. marmorata. Another, albeit only remotely similar, plant is A. harlana, which has indistinct spots, a darker background, and is more robust than Aloe somaliensis, and in particular has dense, capitate inflorescences of red flowers.Aloe harlana is unrelated to A. somaliensis. (harlana belongs to the A. monticola group.)

Aloe somaliensis Aloe somaliensis Aloe somaliensis
Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation		 Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation		 Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation
Aloe somaliensis Aloe somaliensis Aloe somaliensis
Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation		 Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation		 Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation
Aloe somaliensis var marmorata Aloe somaliensis var marmorata Aloe somaliensis
Aloe somaliensis marmorata
in cultivation		 Aloe somaliensis marmorata
in cultivation		 Aloe somaliensis
in cultivation
Aloe somaliensis var marmorata Aloe somaliensis var marmorata
Aloe somaliensis marmorata
Sheikh, Somaliland		 Aloe somaliensis marmorata
Sheikh, Somaliland
Aloe somaliensis var marmorata Aloe somaliensis var marmorata Aloe somaliensis var marmorata
Aloe somaliensis
Sheikh, Somaliland		 Aloe somaliensis
Sheikh, Somaliland		Aloe somaliensis
Sheikh, Somaliland