This species is closely related to Aloe capitata with which it shares a capitate, bicolored inflorescence with orange buds opening yellow. It differs in its narrower, channeled leaves and in the normal progression of flowers opening from the bottom of the raceme up — the reverse is a peculiarity of some members of the A. capitata complex. In 2006 we offered another collection of this species without specific locality data. However, the species is only known from the type locality and here we offer the original collection made by Gerard Fievet himself in the early 1960s. The species grew for many years in the Huntington’s upper Desert Garden until it began to decline and was taken to the nursery to recuperate. It was initiated into tissue culture to propagate for this distribution and to ensure its survival in cultivation. Rooted plants of HBG 20168, a plant collected by G. Fievet at the type locality: Madagascar; ca. 30 km NW of Fianarantsoa, near the village of Andomaranomaitso, on granite rocks at 2100 m elevation. $10.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 87 (3), May - June, 2015