Aloe pruinosa

Aloe pruinosa, commonly known in Afrikaans as the slangkopaalwyn (snake head aloe), is a maculate aloe that bears a ground level leaf rosette but reaches about 2 m in height when in flower. These plants grow slowly and solitary, scattered in the veld. The inconspicuous stem sometimes present is semi-erect or decumbent, rooting along its length when on the ground.

The large leaf rosettes on short stems have spreading to recurved, channelled leaves. The green or purplish upper leaf surfaces have scattered H-shaped white markings. The lower surfaces have even more spots than above, these oval in shape. The spots are sometimes arranged in linear bands along the leaves.

A much branched, sturdy stalked inflorescence is grown late in summer and early in autumn, about 2 m long. The flowers are striped, pink or dull red with a basal perianth swelling and a grey dusty bloom covering. The peduncle, its branches and pedicels are also covered in the powdery bloom. The specific name, pruinosa, is a Latin word meaning hoary frost or covered in a secretion, referring to the bloom feature.

In the great variety of appearances presented by the Aloe genus, this is one that is more interesting than pretty when in flower. 

The species occurs only in a limited inland region around Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. 

The habitat is thorn-bush or the shade of trees and shrubs in heavy loam soils at elevations from 600 m to 2600 m. The range-restricted species is considered vulnerable in habitat early in the twenty first century, due to habitat degradation and loss, as well as medicinal harvesting (Frandsen, 2017; Van Wyk and Smith, 2003; Jeppe, 1969; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).