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Aloe vera

(L.) Burm.f. (1768)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Asphodelaceae Genus: Aloe

‘aloe [aloe], aloe vera, common aloe, star aloe

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Plants short–stemmed, woody–based, stoloniferous.

Stems: Stems to 50 cm, scarious leaf sheaths persistent.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, rosulate to distichous. Blades lanceolate to ensate, tapering from base to apex, 10–50 × 10–70 cm. Surfaces glabrous, glaucous–green to variegated with small white or glaucous dots, irregular bands, or blotches, often reddish near apex or margins. Margins green, spiny-toothed, teeth 1–1.5 cm apart. Sessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences terminal, usually unbranched, racemose, 10–15 dm, usually covered with scalelike bracts; racemes cylindrical, dense, 0.5 m; bracts glabrous or puberulent, with 3 prominent purple veins that are confluent at tips, pedicel 2.2–3.3 cm. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Tepals yellow, prominently 3-veined, connate basally for ½ their length, lobes broadly linear to oblong-lanceolate, apex rounded. Stamens 6, included to slightly exserted, slightly unequal; filaments 2–2.5 cm; anthers 2.5–4 mm. Ovary superior; styles usually exserted; stigmas not expanded.

Fruit: Capsules somewhat elongate.

Ploidy: 2n = 14

Habitat: Hammocks; sandy areas; roadsides; and similar places in full sun.

Elevation Range: 0–1,300 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Kaho'olawe Only found in cultivation
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Fl. Indica: 83 (1768)

Other References

Lorence et al. 1995:21 (NEWNAT/K, DESCR); Herbarium Pacificum Staff 1999:3 (O); Oppenheimer 2003:4 (WM); Staples & Herbst 2005:592 (DESCR); Wysong et al. 2007:1 (Mo); Oppenheimer 2011:5 (L)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Aloe vera Honolulu: Bishop Museum Grounds Amassed in a sunny bed. Preserved_Specimen Decumbent herb; lvs med. green, sometimes w/longitudinally elongated spots often lined up longitudinally; flwr colors include salmon (esp. proximally), canary yellow (esp. distally) & green (along midribs of the tepals); odorless (afternoon). Lau, J. 1650 Oahu BISH 1985-11-18
2 Aloe vera Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Southern Trap & Skeet Range Growing in an illegal dump site amongst trash. Near Opuntia ficus-indica and Cenchrus ciliaris. Preserved_Specimen Dull brownish-green leaves with paler spots. Not flowering. BISH staff 92 Oahu BISH 2021-05-17
3 Aloe vera Honolulu, Puu O Kaimuki Park Growing on a cliff in rocky tuff with Leuaena leucocephala, Selenicereus undatus, Dolichandra unguis-cati. Preserved_Specimen Plant succulent; stem not observed; leaves rosulate, ca. 22 cm long x 3.5 cm wide, blade green; inflorescense axillary, unbranched, raceme ca. 30 cm long; perianth yellow ca. 20-30 naturalized plants seen Ross, M.C. 2091 Oahu BISH 2025-02-05
4 Aloe vera Kalaheo; Kukuiolono Golf Course Cultivated in garden. Preserved_Specimen Rosette forming plant w/no apparent stems; leaf to 60 x 6 cm flat above, rounded below, medium green, somewhat paler near base, glaucous, dripping copious yellow sap when cut, the sap drying purple; succulent flesh w/appearance of ice; Infl. usually w/2 side branches; axis med. green, glaucous; bracts like onion skin; flwr 4 x 1 cm; outer perianth segments free upper 2/3rds; sepals 2.8 x 0.6 cm, glossy, whitish on margins, each centered yellow w/green stripe, orange-yellow near tip, tips curling outwards; petals 3 x 0.7 cm, colored same; stamens to 3.8 cm long, filament 3.4 cm, white basally becoming green-yellow apically, anther ca. 3 mm long, fixed above base, with two slits lengthwise; pistil to 3.6 cm long, pale green to bright yellow-green at apex, ovary 6 x 3 mm., grooved, yellow-green. Each inflorescence often topped by a crest of pale brown, dry aborted flowers. As buds open the flowers become more downturned until clasping the peduncle. Hume, L. 479 Kauai BISH 1990-02-16
5 Aloe vera Waahila, Koolau Mts Leucaena leucocephala-Megathyrsus maximus scrub; growing in dry, rocky soil Preserved_Specimen Plant succulent; stem not observed; leaves rosulate, blade dull green; inflorescence axillary, few-branched, raceme ca. 20-25 cm long; perianth yellow. Only individual seen Ross, M.C. 2095 Oahu BISH 2025-02-14
6 Aloe vera Honolulu, Puu O Kaimuki Park Growing on a cliff in rocky tuff with Leuaena leucocephala, Selenicereus undatus, Dolichandra unguis-cati. Preserved_Specimen Plant succulent; stem not observed; leaves rosulate, ca. 33 cm long x 6.5 cm wide, blade green; inflorescense axillary, unbranched, raceme ca. 34 cm long; perianth orange ca. 5-10 naturalized plants seen Ross, M.C. 2092 Oahu BISH 2025-02-05
7 Aloe vera Honolulu: Kapalama; Bishop Museum grounds In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Single-stemmed plant w/stem 15 cm long & erect; lvs unmarked have a reddish tinge; flws lemon-yellow with a little med. green distally; sap w/nauseating odor. Lau, J. 1907 Oahu BISH 1986-01-22
8 Aloe vera Kapaa; Wailua Homesteads, Makana Road In garden. Preserved_Specimen Much suckering plant with rosettes of leaves growing to 40 cm tall, in bloom ca. 1.2 m. (or less), the heads of foliage with stems mostly not visible, though some rosettes spring from a prostrate stem bearing dried leaves. Leaves arranged in whorls or often noticeable equitant. Leaf to 38 cm long, 5 cm broad, 1.8 cm thick, flat above, rounded below, or channeled both sides, the imprint of another leaf's edge and prickles appears on upper surface, when cut drips yellow sap, the blades filled with clear jelly; leaf surface glossy medium green, with pale green mottling; prickles paler than blade, soft. Inflorescence: scape to 1 m tall, in this form appears consistently unbranched and rather delicate, the axis 2-edged at base becoming terete above, pale green to glaucous, to yellow-green near apex, with bracts like onionskin; flowers widely spaced, in bud held upright at an angle away from the scape, as mature bend down, in full flower are held nearly parallel to scape though tip of perianth flared away from scape, in overall color are pale orange, green and yellow; the color is darkest in largest buds held just above open flowers; flower: pedicel curved, to 7 mm, pale green; outer perianth segments free a little more than half their length, in bloom are recurved at tip, 2 - 3.4 x 0.5 cm, mostly HCC azalea pink (RHS 38B), with central stripe yellowish with green penciling at apex; inner perianth segments separate to base, to 7 mm wide, paler in color than outer, are yellow in center to nearly white at margin, with fine green penciling in center most pronounced near apex, apices also recurved outward; stamens shaped nearly into an S-curve, are 3 - 3.2 cm long, appear to be three thick and three thin, white at base becoming yellow-green toward apex, anther brownish with pale brown pollen; pistil 3 cm, stigma minute, finely laciniate, style 2.5 cm, pale green, curved, held at an angle from tip of ovary, ovary 5 mm long, pale green; anthers a style barely exceeding corolla at anthesis. Hume, L. 496 Kauai BISH 1990-03-19
9 Aloe vera Near visitor center and main ruins, Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park Predominantly exotic vegetation. Area highly modified by ancient Polynesians. Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 10288 Hawaii BISH 1984-04-08
10 Aloe vera W Maui, Lahaina District, Alaeloa, Kaopala Gulch Growing on steep, rocky slopes and in Leucaena thickets on side of unimproved rd in pineapple fields. Preserved_Specimen Succulent plants forming dense patches and spreading vegetatively from old plantings. Oppenheimer, H.L. 10129 Maui BISH 2001-01-19
11 Aloe vera Honolulu: Kapalama; Bishop Museum grounds In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Single-stemmed plant w/stem rising 20 cm above soil level; lvs medium green w/longitudinally elongated lighter spots disposed roughly in transverse bars across leaf surface; flwr a blend of salmon, cream & orange, odorless (afternoon). Lau, J. 1651 Oahu BISH 1985-11-18
12 Aloe vera Base of ridge where road from upper ranch site (where the wells are) joins N. Kuheia Gulch A planted bed. Preserved_Specimen Yellow flws joined nearly perpendicularly near the top, but drooped near bottom of spike; lvs longer than adjacent (K-93-5) variety w/ stiff thorns along the margin. Warren, S. 934 Kahoolawe BISH 1993-03-29
13 Aloe vera Koloa District: Moir's Cactus Garden, located in Kiahuna Plantation Resort Preserved_Specimen Stems unbranched to 50 cm tall, leaves in rosettes, medium green glaucous, teeth reddish. Infl. 1.3-1.5 m., w/4-5 branches, pedicels yellow, tepals yellow w/green tips, anthers orange-brown. Capusles green. Sap yellow. Lorence, D.H. 7943 Kauai BISH 1996-12-29
14 Aloe vera Koloa District: Moir's Cactus Garden, located in Kiahuna Plantation Resort Preserved_Specimen Stems unbranched to 50 cm tall, leaves in rosettes, medium green glaucous, teeth reddish. Infl. 1.3-1.5 m., w/4-5 branches, pedicels yellow, tepals yellow w/green tips, anthers orange-brown. Capusles green. Sap yellow. Lorence, D.H. 7943 Kauai BISH 1996-12-29
15 Aloe vera Base of ridge where road from upper ranch site (where the wells are) joins N. Kuheia Gulch Preserved_Specimen Salmon to orange colored flwrs; lvs shorter than yellow-flowered variety (K-93-4) but also w/stiff thorns along margin. Warren, S. 935 Kahoolawe BISH 1993-03-29
16 Aloe vera Kalaupapa; lighthouse cottages Preserved_Specimen small patch Wysong, M.L. 765 Molokai BISH 2005-08-09
17 Aloe vera Lahaina Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow; lvs green or reddish tinged St.John, H. 17704 Maui BISH 1936-12-19
18 Aloe vera Honolulu: Kalihi Valley; Bishop Estate Nursery Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. 2 Oahu BISH 1930-11-12
19 Aloe vera Honolulu: Makapuu Head Preserved_Specimen Rosettes yellowish to 15 tall, many offsets around base. Scapes to 3 ft. tall, erect, flowers nodding, odorless, corolla orange outside, yellow within, capsules oblong-elliptic, tardily dehiscent. Staples, G.W. 1154 Oahu BISH 1997-12-14
20 Aloe vera Honolulu: 4935 Mana Place; residence of H. C. Jones Preserved_Specimen Rosette plant, stem prostrate, 1foot long; 25 lvs 15 x3 x 7/8; juvenile lvs white-spotted, adult spotted at base, infl. 3 feet long x 3/8 diam., 20 up to only 1 side fl. spike, then bare 7; last 9 a raceme of short-stemmed, small ovate-bracted flrs (50), the perianth having 3 rose-pink outer segments & 3 yellow inner segments w/green band down middle, stems protruding; leaf spines 9/16-7/8 apart. Jones, H.C. Oahu BISH 1963-06-05
21 Aloe vera Makapala, Hawaii, United States HUMAN_OBSERVATION -868728425 Maui HAPI 1/20/2012
22 Aloe vera Honolulu: Kalihi Valley; Bishop Estate Nursery Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. 2 Oahu BISH 1930-11-12
23 Aloe vera Honolulu: Makiki Heights Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow. Inn, H. Oahu BISH 1943-05-20
24 Aloe vera N side of Kaumalapau Gulch Naturalized, spreading from old homes with other succulents such as Kalanchoe tubiflorum, K. daigremontianum, and Hylocereus undatus. Preserved_Specimen Inflorescence erect, sometimes branched, flowers yellow. A few fruits observed. Leaves succulent in a basal rosette. Oppenheimer, H.L. 30922 Lanai BISH 2009-03-19
25 Aloe vera Crest of west ridge of Kuliouou Valley Common in Heteropogon contortus-Leucaena scrubland. Preserved_Specimen Flowers orange. Nagata, K.M. 4440 Oahu BISH 1997-02-01
26 Aloe vera W Maui, Lahaina District, Alaeloa, Kaopala Gulch Growing on steep, rocky slopes and in Leucaena thickets on side of unimproved rd in pineapple fields. Preserved_Specimen Succulent plants forming dense patches and spreading vegetatively from old plantings. Oppenheimer, H.L. 10129 Maui BISH 2001-01-19
27 Aloe vera Makapuu Point State Wayside Park; Makapuu Point Disturbed coastal dry mixed community. Preserved_Specimen Perinnial; rosette to 30cm; inflorescence to 1m; flowers orange. Annable, C.R. 3117 Oahu BISH 1996-11-07
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