Aloe lomatophylloides (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Medicinal
Ornamental
Conservation status

Aloe lomatophylloides Balf.f.

Protologue: Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. 16: 22 (1877).

Family: Asphodelaceae

Synonyms

• Lomatophyllum lomatophylloides (Balf.f.) Marais (1975).

Vernacular names

• Ananas marron (Fr).

Origin and geographic distribution

Aloe lomatophylloides is endemic to Rodrigues (Republic of Mauritius), where it is restricted to the Grande Montagne Reserve, but was formerly widespread.

Uses

The crushed leaves of Aloe lomatophylloides are applied as a poultice to relieve muscle pain. A decoction of the leaves is taken to increase the menstrual flow. The plant is widely grown as an ornamental.

Properties

All Aloe spp. in the section Lomatophyllum, to which Aloe lomatophylloides belongs, have a common phytochemical profile and contain flavones, anthrones and chromones. In Aloe lomatophylloides the flavone isovitexin (apigenin 6-C-glucoside) occurs together with the anthrone aloin.

Description

Succulent herb up to 40 cm tall; stem short, decumbent, unbranched. Leaves in a lax rosette, erect to spreading; stipules absent; petiole absent; blade lanceolate, up to 75 cm × 8 cm, apex attenuate, margin with short deltoid teeth, 5–15 mm apart. Inflorescence consisting of few cylindrical racemes, 15–20 cm long, lax, with acuminate apex; peduncle up to 12 cm long, with 2–3 branches; bracts lanceolate, up to 4 mm long. Flowers bisexual, regular, 3-merous; pedicel c. 2 cm long; perianth tubular, 1.5–2 cm long, lobes 6, free to base, pale reddish orange; stamens 6, exserted; ovary superior, 3-celled, style filiform, stigma head-shaped, exserted. Fruit a berry 15–20 mm long, many-seeded. Seeds c. 3 mm long.

Other botanical information

Aloe comprises about 450 species in Africa and Arabia, of which c. 315 occur in mainland Africa, c. 100 are endemic to Madagascar or the Indian Ocean islands (including the former Lomatophyllum) and c. 50 occur in Arabia. Based on genome size, the species of Aloe in the section Lomatophyllum are not closely related to the other Aloe species of the Indian Ocean Islands. Therefore, and because of the difference in fruits (berries versus capsules) some authors maintain 2 separate genera.

Aloe purpurea

Another Aloe species endemic to Mauritius and with medicinal uses is Aloe purpurea Lam. (synonym: Lomatophyllum purpureum (Lam.) T.Durand & Schinz). Its leaf sap is applied to the nipples to wean children. The leaves contain the flavone isovitexin and its aglucon apigenin, the anthrone homonataloin, and the chromone aloeresin A.

Aloe mayottensis

The leaf sap of Aloe mayottensis A.Berger , endemic to Mayotte, is applied as eye drops to cure conjunctivitis, and to nipples to wean children. A poultice of the leaves is used to treat wounds and burns.

Ecology

There is no information on the ecological requirements of Aloe lomatophylloides, but probably it occurs on open, dry localities.

Management

All Aloe species used as medicine in Mauritius are collected from the wild.

Genetic resources

Harvesting from the wild for medicinal and ornamental uses and habitat destruction have devastated the population of Aloe lomatophylloides. Whereas it was common in the 19^th century, its natural range is now restricted to a single reserve on Rodrigues where just 30 plants remain. It is however widely planted in botanical gardens and is grown widely as an ornamental and is therefore not immediately threatened with extinction. All Aloe species with the exception of Aloe vera are listed by CITES.

Prospects

The Aloe species from Mauritius have not been the subject of systematic ethnobotanical research, and little has been published. Proper protection of the remaining plants seems in place and cultivation will take the pressure off wild populations.

Major references

• Groom, Q.J. & Reynolds, T., 1987. Barbaloin in Aloe species. Planta Medica 53: 345–348.

• Gurib-Fakim, A. & Brendler, T., 2004. Medicinal and aromatic plants of Indian Ocean Islands: Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mascarenes. Medpharm, Stuttgart, Germany. 568 pp.

• Gurib-Fakim, A., Guého, J., Sewraj, M.D. & Dulloo, E., 1994. Plantes médicinales de l’île Rodrigues. Editions de l’Océan Indien, Rose-Hill, Mauritius. 580 pp.

• Marais, W. & Coode, M.J.E., 1978. Liliacées. In: Bosser, J., Cadet, T., Julien, H.R. & Marais, W. (Editors). Flore des Mascareignes. Familles 177–188. The Sugar Industry Research Institute, Mauritius, l’Office de la Recherche Scientifique Outre-Mer, Paris, France & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 41 pp.

• Newton, L.E., 2001. Aloe In: Eggli, U. (Editor). Illustrated handbook of succulent plants: Monocotyledons. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany. pp. 103–186.

Other references

• Baker, J.G., 1877., 1877. Liliaceae. In: Baker, J.G. (Editor). Flora of Mauritius and the Seychelles: a description of the flowering plants and ferns of those islands. L. Reeve & Co., London, United Kingdom. pp. 372–378.

• Dagne, E., Bisrat, D., Viljoen, A. & van Wyk, B.-E., 2000. Chemistry of Aloe species. Current Organic Chemistry 4(10): 1055–1078.

• Gurib-Fakim, A., 2004. The utilization and conservation of medicinal plants in Mauritius. HerbalGram 64: 34–43.

• Pascal, O., 2002. Plantes et forêts de Mayotte. Patrimoines Naturels 53. 108 pp.

• Rowley, G.D., 1997. The berried Aloes: Aloe section Lomatophyllum. Excelsa 17: 59–62.

• Viljoen, A.M., van Wyk, B.-E. & van Heerden, F.R., 1998. Distribution and chemotaxonomic significance of flavonoids in Aloe (Asphodelaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 211(1–2): 31–42.

• Zonneveld, B.J.M., 2002. Genome size analysis of selected species of Aloe (Aloaceae) reveals the most primitive species and results in some new combinations. Bradleya 20: 5–12.

Author(s)

• C.H. Bosch, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Bosch, C.H., 2006. Aloe lomatophylloides Balf.f. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 3 April 2025.

• See the Prota4U database.