It is only fitting that Walter Röösli, the discoverer of so many choice new Madagascan succulents, should have this elegant aloe named in his honor. By the way, the “ö” is transliterated “oe” in the epithet and is pronounced like the “eu” in French “bleu”. The closest English equivalent may be something like the vowel in “skirt”. Despite the spelling, the double “ö” represents a single sound. The plant is allied to A. suarezensis but has longer leaves that are a rich silvery, glaucous-gray. It is also distinguished by its very elongate, slender flowers that are deep red with paler tips. We offer HBG 97521, plants from controlled pollination of the type collection, Röösli and Hoffmann 53/01, collected Dec 27, 2001, in the limestone formation known as the tsingy of Ankarana, in the Betsimipoaka forest, ca. 35 km N of Ambilobé, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar, where it grows with Pachypodium decaryi and Uncarina ankaranensis. $15.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 82 (2), March - April, 2010