''Aloe inyangensis'' is a
succulent aloe plant species, found only in the mountainous
Eastern Highlands
:''"Eastern Highlands" also refers to Eastern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea, and part of the Great Dividing Range, Australia.''
The Eastern Highlands, also known as the Manica Highlands, is a mountain range on the border of Zimbabw ...
of
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...
. It grows best in shady conditions but in some areas is also found in the open in heaths on mountain tops. There are two subspecies: the relatively flimsy ''A. inyangensis inyangensis'' commoner in the northern part of the range; and the sturdier ''A. inyangensis kimberleyana'' towards the southern end of its range.
Appearance
This aloe is a small herbaceous plant with stiff, succulent strap-shaped leaves that belie the humid and perennially wet conditions that it grows under. It grows in rather untidy-looking clumps up to 20–30 cm high. The leaves are thin, about 18–28 cm long and often bent forwards along the central vein.
Unlike most aloe species, ''A inyangensis'' blooms throughout the year. The flowers are a very attractive crimson colour, borne on 30 cm curved stalks above the foliage.
Distribution
The plant is strictly confined to woodland and wet forest on mountain sides above 1500 m altitude from just north of
Nyanga southwards to Mount Rupere and Mount Ruinji near
Stapleford in northern
Manicaland. It grows almost up to the summit of Mount
Inyangani
Mount Nyangani (formerly Mount Inyangani) is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe at . The mountain is located within Nyanga National Park in Nyanga District, about northwest of Mutare. The summit lies atop a small outcrop of rock around above the ...
. Another population occurs about 40 km further south on and around the Castle Beacon mountain in the
Bvumba
The Bvumba Mountains or Vumba Mountains straddle the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, and are situated some 10 km south east of Mutare. The Bvumba rise to Castle Beacon at 1,911 metres, and are, together with the Chimanimani Mountains to the so ...
mountains.
Despite its limited distribution it is relatively common in its own environment and specimens are relatively easy to spot.
References
inyangensis
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