Aloe abyssicola
Aloe abyssicola is a species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe that is endemic to southern Yemen, where it grows dangling upside-down from cliff faces.
Aloe abyssicola was described by John Jacob Lavranos and A. S. Bilaidi in a 1971 issue of the Cactus and Succulent Journal. The specific epithet abyssicola is derived from the Latin terms abyssus, meaning "abyss", and -cola, meaning "dwelling", in reference to the inaccessibility of the type locality.
Distribution and habitat
Aloe abyssicola is known only from the type locality, on the cliffs of Jabal al Arays in southern Yemen, approximately above sea level. It grows upside-down, hanging from the vertical cliff faces.
Description
Aloe abyssicola is a short-stemmed or stemless Aloe that grows upside-down in its natural habitat. The rosette is composed of up to 50 grey-green leaves, each measuring long and wide. The leaves are edged with blunt, black marginal teeth spaced approximately apart. The long inflorescence grows downwards and splits into 5 to 6 short, loosely packed racemoid branches that curve upward at the tips. The flowers are yellow-green in colour and measure long.