ALOE _plicatilis_ foliis ensiformibus inermis ancipitibus, floribus
laxe spicatis, caule fruticoso. _Mill. Dict. ed. 6. 4to._
ALOE africana arborescens montana non spinosa, folio longissimo
plicatili, flore rubro. _Comm. Hort. 2. p. 5. t. 3._
"The Fan Aloe grows to the height of six or seven feet, with a strong
stem, towards the upper part of which are produced two, three, or four
heads, composed of long, compressed, pliable leaves, of a sea-green
colour, and ending obtusely; these are placed in a double row, lying
over each other, with their edges the same way; the flowers are produced
in short loose spikes, are of a red colour, and appear at different
times of the year." _Mill. Dict._
Linnæus originally made this plant a variety of his _Aloe disticha_, the
leaves in their mode of growth are indeed truly distichous, few plants
afford a better example of such, but they differ materially from those
of the real _disticha_ both in form and colour: Mr. Miller, with great
propriety, made a distinct species of it, by the name of _plicatilis_,
or _Fan Aloe_, which Mr. Aiton has continued; and by the name of _Fan
Aloe_ it is very generally known: we may remark, however, that though
this term may be justified by the form into which the leaves expand, the
_folium plicatile_ of Linnæus is a very different kind of a leaf.
Both the foliage and flowers of this plant are very handsome, in the
course of many years it grows to a great size; in the Chelsea Garden
there are some fine plants of it, which grew there in the time of
Miller, by whom it was cultivated in 1731.
It is native of Africa, requires the same treatment as the other Aloes,
and is propagated by dividing and planting its heads.
[458]
[Illustration: Nº. 458]
Aristea Cyanea. Grass-Leaved Aristea.
_Class and Order._
Triandria Monogynia.
_Generic Character._
_Petala 6._ _Stylus_ declinatus. _Stigma_ infundibuliforme hians.
_Caps._ infera polysperma.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._