| Aloe commixta | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| clade: | Angiosperms |
| clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Xanthorrhoeaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
| Genus: | Aloe |
| Species: | A. commixta |
| Binomial name | |
| Aloe commixta Mill. |
|
Aloe commixta or the Peninsula Rambling Aloe is a rare climbing aloe that is endemic to south-western South Africa. It naturally occurs only on the Table Mountain range, within the city of Cape Town. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN global Red List.[1]
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Aloe commixta is a rambling, multi-stemmed aloe. This beautiful "accent plant" rarely gets over 1 metre (3.3 ft) tall, as its slender stems tend to sprawl along the ground and over rocks.
Aloe commixta flowers in late winter. A stout inflorescence shoots up, bearing reddish erect buds that open into dense, bright orange or yellow flowers. In its natural habitat in the fynbos vegetation of Table Mountain, its flowers are pollinated by sunbirds and honey bees. The orange-yellow flowers of Aloe commixta are much larger than those of other climbing aloes, and are bunched together more densely at the top of the raceme.[2]
The leaves are thick, fleshy and evenly-spaced on a fine stem with distinctive green stripes on the internodes. The leaves tend to be about 200 mm long, with tiny white deltoid teeth along the margins. A. commixta is easily identified by its straight, wide, succulent leaves, that do not recurve downwards (as in the case of many other climbing aloes), and by the unique and distinguishing subcapitate raceme of its flowers.
Cape Town's very own unique Aloe, this species is indigenous (and endemic) to the Cape Peninsula. Within this tiny natural range, Aloe commixta is particularly concentrated in the central region of the Peninsula, in the area around Kommetjie, Kalk Bay, Fishhoek, Simonstown and Miller's Point (although smaller, outlying populations exist elsewhere on the Table Mountain chain). This elegant little aloe is also one of only two aloes (the other being Aloe succotrina) that are indigenous to the city of Cape Town.
Within its natural habitat it is very hardy, and survives both frost and fire. [note2 1]
Part of the "Macrifoliae" group of multi-branched climbing aloes, its nearest relative is large and robust Aloe striatula of the Eastern Cape mountains. Another close relative is Aloe juddii, a rare little aloe species which is confined to a few rocky outcrops on a farm near Cape Agulhas.[3]
This threatened species is restricted to very small area, surrounded by suburbs in the middle of a city of 3.5 million people. However most of the known plants are located within Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) and their high, inaccessible habitat is usually too steep and rocky to be used for agriculture or development.
The major threat to this species comes from invasive alien plants – chief among these “Rooikrans” (Acacia cyclops) from Australia which, until recently, blanketed the slopes of the Cape Peninsula. South African National Parks has now brought this infestation under control and the Aloes are slowly returning to their natural habitat. However the weed clearance will require several follow ups in order to be completed, otherwise the highly invasive Acacias will rapidly return and cover these slopes again, driving Aloe commixta (as well as other endemics) to extinction. [4]
A more minor threat comes from the increasing human traffic across the peninsula. The aloes lie low to the ground, and even light human trampling kills them.
This plant is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on IUCN's global Red Data List, which reports that there are currently only a few hundred plants in existence. [5]
This aloe is endemic to Cape Town so, in growing it, one should try to replicate the mediterranean-type climate of its original Table Mountain home. This means winter rainfall; Aloe commixta does not do well in tropical or summer rainfall areas. It also prefers sandy soils that are slightly acidic, although this is not essential and it can survive in most soil types. Unlike most aloes, it tolerates some light shade as well.
It naturally grows very well in Cape Town gardens (especially rocky ones) - as it is perfectly adapted to the environment - and it looks attractive sprawling over stonewall terraces, or rambling down rocky slopes and over boulders. It produces striking, bright orange or yellow flowers in the winter. This makes it a useful ornamental plant for adding colour to the garden at a time of the year when most other plants are not in flower.
When the sprawling stems become too long and untidy, it is best to prune the plant right down (this simulates the effects of a veldfire in its natural habitat). The plant will re-grow denser & bushier than before, and the cuttings from this valuable Aloe can then be re-planted (or given to plant collectors).
Cuttings (truncheons) are also the easiest way to propagate Aloe commixta. Allow the cuttings to dry for a few days, and then simply insert them into sandy soil. Like most aloes, this species has both male and female flowers on each plant, but an individual plant is not self-fertile. The seeds germinate in semi-shade, in cool (25-35 °C), well-drained, slightly-acidic sand.
This aloe was known and used medicinally by the Khoi, the oldest known inhabitants of the Cape. Later, it was one of the first aloes to be cultivated by the Dutch East India Company in its "Company's Gardens".
The active ingredients that are supposedly responsible for the plant's medicinal qualities are the compounds known as aloin (from the sap) as well as complex polysaccharides and glycoproteins (from the pulp). [6]