Aloe globuligemma

Aloe globuligemma, commonly known as the witchdoctor's aloe, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. It is native to southern Africa where it occurs in semi-desert and dry bushland. It is an evergreen, succulent, perennial plant. The plant forms large, dense clumps. It is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Taxonomy

Aloe globuligemma is a species in the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae. The species derived its name from Latin language globulus meaning "little ball", and gemma, meaning "bud" referring to the globular flower buds.

Description

The first description by Illtyd Buller Pole-Evans was published in 1915.

Plant morphology

Aloe globuligemma grows building short stems up to in length, forming great, dense clumps by sprouting. The creeping stems are up to long.
About 20 of the lance shaped leaves form a rosette. The leaves are from long and from wide.
The milky white, pale brown topped teeth at the leaf margins are long in intervals, mostly pointing to the leaf's top.

Distribution

Aloe globuligemma is found in Botswana, Zimbabwe and in the South African provinces Limpopo and Mpumalanga in hot dry areas and bushlands at elevations from, often in large colonies, in bare or sparsely grassed places, often in eroded areas and in open deciduous woodland.

Uses

Aloe globuligemma is used in traditional African medicine. A leaf infusion is taken traditionally to for stomach ache, for venereal diseases, and as an abortifacient.