We are delighted to announce that the Chair of Candlelight, Ahmed Ibrahim Awale, found a new aloe species. A research paper authored by a team consisting of three persons (Mary Barkworth, Ahmed Ibrahim Awale, and Faisal Jama Gelle) was recently published in Phytokeys, a journal which specializes in systemic botany. Here is the link of the paper:
https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/28226/
The Aloe which locally known as “Dacar-Cas” is now given the following scientific name Aloe sanguinalis Awale & Barkworth, sp. nov.
Abstract
A new species of Aloe (Asphodelaceae) is described from Somaliland. It differs from other species in forming large clumps and in having sap that is initially yellow but quickly turns bright red and then dark red or reddish-brown, paniculate red-flowered inflorescences and uniformly coloured leaves with red teeth. Its recognition raises the number of species known from the combined area of Somaliland and Somalia s.s. from 31 to 36. A map portraying species density of Aloe by country, as that genus is now interpreted, shows that Aloe has its highest density on islands in the Indian Ocean but that, within Africa, the greatest density is in countries along the eastern highlands. The data also reinforce the importance of field botanists in determining a country’s known plant diversity.
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- Aloe sanguinalis at Alala Adka showing the largest clump in October 2016
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- Aloe sanguinalis from Alala Adka, June 2017. A Whole inflorescence, including peduncle B Sap, showing color after 10–15 minutes C Leaves freshly cut near their base showing color of sap when fresh D Decumbent offset, showing roots from some nodes E Inflorescence branch and flowers from another branch, arranged from top to bottom of the branch F Flower after maturation of style.
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- Aloe sanguinalis at Lafarug. A One of the larger clumps, with Awale, in January 2018 B Inflorescence of Aloe sanguinalis at Lafarug, June 2018
