Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f.
Vernacular name: Ghritkumari, Ghee Kunwar, Ghikumari (Hindi: घीकुमारी), Aloe Vera, Indian Aloe, Barbados Aloe
Species Name: Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (syn. Aloe barbadensis Mill.)
Family: Asphodelaceae
Habit: Perennial, succulent herb, usually about 50–100 cm tall, commonly cultivated around houses, gardens and plantations.
Stem: Very short, thick and usually inconspicuous; leaves arise densely from the basal stem to form a rosette.
Leaf: Simple, sessile, thick and fleshy, lanceolate, tapering to a pointed apex; grey-green to green; margins armed with small sharp teeth; leaves contain abundant clear mucilaginous gel.
Flowering: September–December/January
Flowers: Tubular, pendulous, yellow to yellow-orange or reddish, arranged along the flowering stalk; perianth 6-lobed; 6 stamens, shortly exserted; ovary superior and 3-locular. Inflorescence terminal, elongated, erect raceme, arising on a tall unbranched or branched flowering stalk; older flowers occur towards the base and younger flowers towards the apex.
Fruit: Ellipsoidal to three-angled capsule, containing numerous seeds.
Uses:
- Vernacular name: Ghritkumari, Ghee Kunwar, Ghikumari (Hindi: घीकुमारी), Aloe Vera, Indian Aloe, Barbados Aloe
- Species Name: Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (syn. Aloe barbadensis Mill.)
- Family: Asphodelaceae
- Habit: Perennial, succulent herb, usually about 50–100 cm tall, commonly cultivated around houses, gardens and plantations.
- Stem: Very short, thick and usually inconspicuous; leaves arise densely from the basal stem to form a rosette.
- Leaf: Simple, sessile, thick and fleshy, lanceolate, tapering to a pointed apex; grey-green to green; margins armed with small sharp teeth; leaves contain abundant clear mucilaginous gel.
- Flowering: September–December/January
- Flowers: Tubular, pendulous, yellow to yellow-orange or reddish, arranged along the flowering stalk; perianth 6-lobed; 6 stamens, shortly exserted; ovary superior and 3-locular. Inflorescence terminal, elongated, erect raceme, arising on a tall unbranched or branched flowering stalk; older flowers occur towards the base and younger flowers towards the apex.
- Fruit: Ellipsoidal to three-angled capsule, containing numerous seeds.
