Aloe parvibracteata
Schonland
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Description
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It does not have a stem. It develops suckers to form clumps.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
The fleshy leaf layer is soaked in running water to remove bitterness and then eaten as a famine food.
Traditional Uses
The fleshy layer is left in running water to removed the bitter element and then eaten as a famine food.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
The distinctive constituents in Aloe leaves are phenolic compounds, including chromone, anthraquinone or anthrone derivatives. Some of the compounds are found in many species, whereas others occur in only a few.
Known Hazards
The sap of Aloe species contains anthraquinones. These compounds have several beneficial medicinal actions, particularly as a laxative, and many species of Aloe are thus employed in traditional medicine. Whilst safe in small doses and for short periods of time, anthraquinones do have potential problems if used in excess. These include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs. Long term use of anthraquinone laxatives may also play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential, and tumorigenic potential.
Distribution
Brisbane Botanical Garden. It grows in seasonally waterlogged soils. It grows below 200 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.
Where It Grows
Africa, Australia, East Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland,
Cultivation
Aloe species follow the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). CAM plants can fix carbon dioxide at night and photosynthesize with closed stomata during the day, thus minimizing water loss. This, plus their succulent leaves and stems, and the presence of a thick cuticle, makes them well adapted to dry conditions.
Propagation
Seed - we have no specific information on this species - in general Aloes are sown in a sandy, well-drained potting soil in a warm, shady position in standard seed trays. Germination takes about three weeks. Cover the seed with a thin layer of sand (1 - 2mm), keep moist. The seedlings can be planted out in individual bags or containers as soon as they are large enough to handle.
Other Uses
A yellow dye is obtained from the roots.
Other Information
It is a famine food.
Notes
Also put in the family Aloaceae. Also put in the family Asphodelaceae.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Emahala, Manga
References (6)
- Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 256
- Long, C., 2005, Swaziland's Flora - siSwati names and Uses http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 24th March 2011]
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 31
- Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
Show all 6 references Hide references
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
