Aloe Vera (Aloe vera)
October 10, 2007 — Vasant M. SalianAloe Vera (Aloe vera syn. Aloe barbadensis, Aloe vulgaris) is a species of Aloe, native to northern Africa. Aloe, a popular houseplant, has a long history as a multi-purpose folk remedy. Commonly known as Aloe vera, the plant can be snapped off and placed on cuts and burns for immediate relief. Aloe vera is a clump forming succulent whose fleshy gray-green leaves are arranged in a vase shaped rosette atop a very short stem.
The leaves are up to 18 in long and 2 in wide at the base, slightly grooved on top, and terminating in a sharp point. The leaves have small greyish teeth on the margins. The main rosette gets up to about 2 ft high, and the plant continually produces little offset rosettes. In winter and spring, medicinal aloe bears small tubular yellow flowers on branched stalks up to 3 ft tall. The real Aloe vera has yellow flowers, but many of the clones available have orange flowers. Although Aloe Vera is a member of the Lily family, it is very-cactus like in its characteristics.
Aloe Vera contains over 20 minerals, all of which are essential to the human body. The human body requires 22 amino acids for good health - eight of which are called “essential” because the body cannot fabricate them. In India, Aloe vera is believed to help in sustaining youth, due to its positive effects on the skin. Hence it is called ghee kunvar or ghee kumaari.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Asparagales
Family : Asphodelaceae
Genus : Aloe
Species : Aloe vera
Pronunciation/Meaning:
- Asphodelaceae (as-foh-del-AY-see-ay) - The Asphodelus family (a lily-like plant whose roots were eaten).
- Aloe (AL-oh) - From the Arabic Alloeh.
- vera (VER-uh) - True.
Common Names:
- Aloe vera, Medicinal Aloe, Savila, Burn plant (English)
- Gheekumari (Hindi)
- Khorpad (Marathi)
- Kathalai (Tamil)
- Chotthu kathalai (Malayalam)
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