Aloe tenuior
Asphodelaceae FAMILY

Aloe tenuior

Aloe tenuior

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The sap of Aloe species contains anthraquinones. These compounds have several beneficial medicinal actions, particularly as a laxative, and many species of Aloe are thus employed in traditional medicine. Whilst safe in small doses and for short periods of time, anthraquinones do have potential problems if used in excess. These include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Long term use of anthraquinone laxatives may also play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential, and tumorigenic potential[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Botanical Description

Aloe tenuior is an evergreen, succulent, sprawling shrub growing up to 3 metres tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 295 Title PlantZAfrica.com Publication Author Website http://www.plantzafrica.com Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants. ]. The plant produces a cluster of unbranched stems, each stem topped by a rosette of 12 - 20 erect to spreading leaves up to 19cm long and 2cm wide at the base[ 663 Title Flora of Southern Africa Publication Author Roux J.P. Website http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545 Publisher Year 2003 ISBN Description An excellent on-line resource. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for its use in herbal medicine[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. ]. It is grown as an ornamental[ 295 Title PlantZAfrica.com Publication Author Website http://www.plantzafrica.com Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeAfrica - S. Africa in Cape Province and Transkei.
HabitatDry thickets[ 295 Title PlantZAfrica.com Publication Author Website http://www.plantzafrica.com Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants. ]. Open country on sandy soil with Encephalartos longifolius, grasses, forbs, various members of the Mesembryanthemaceae and other small succulents. It rarely occurs in valley bushveld[ 663 Title Flora of Southern Africa Publication Author Roux J.P. Website http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545 Publisher Year 2003 ISBN Description An excellent on-line resource. ].