Aloidendron dichotomum in southern Namibia

An album on semi-desert plants of southern Africa would not be adequate, let alone complete, without a picture of Aloidendron dichotomum. The tree aloes have been moved from the Aloe genus to Aloidendron (meaning tree aloe). The trees in picture were found well to the north of the Gariep River in Namibia. On the northern mountains of the Richtersveld A. dichotomum grows taller than in the southern parts of its distribution area, maybe in Namibia as well.

In both Namibia and the north-west of South Africa some A. dichotomum trees grow close to the sea. Desert conditions, impacted upon by the cold water of the Benguela current, exist far inland on sandy flats and barren rocky mountains. 

The quiver trees may surprise here, towering over some remarkable desert scenes that can be visited today in fair luxury. These well loved desert sentinels used to serve as beacons, inland lighthouses for orientating travellers that used to brave the desolation long ago, in search of beauty or adventure in the days before highways or even roads (Williamson, 2010).