Biology Project

Aloe Vera’s Profile

Lavanessa Young

American Public University

Whitney Elmore

06/17/14

Introduction

Aloe is often described as a succulent stemless or very short-stemmed plant with a slimy and soothing sap. Binomially, this plant is known as Aloe vera, but it is a species with a good number of synonyms, including Aloe vulgaris, Aloe indica, Aloe perfoliata , and Aloe barbadensis. It’s important to point out the fact that Carl Linnaeus was the first scientist to describe this species. Aloe vera grows freely in most parts of North Africa, including Morocco, Egypt, Mauritania, but nowadays it’s cultivated throughout the world for both medicinal and aesthetic purposes. Basically, this plant is grown as an ornamental plant (Boudreau & Beland, 2006).

Life Cycle of Aloe vera

Germination of aloe seeds occur when their seeds come in contact with warm and moist soil, after which a seed-root that anchors the plant to the ground emerges. The heat of the summer facilitates the growth of Aloe vera by stimulating the development of a rosette of fleshy leaves rich in jellylike pulp, as well as sap that grows. The plant reaches maturity at the height of about approximately 24 inches. Depending on the climate of the region in which this plant grows, a mature aloe plant sends a flower spike from the center of its rosette of leaves, which it is then pollinated by agents like hummingbirds (Skousen, 1992).

Seed development occurs immediately after successful pollination when a small green pod that looks like a fat cucumber is formed. However, due to excess heat, the pod dries and through explosive mechanism, it releases the seeds to the soil. The seeds can remain dormant if there are no suitable conditions for germination. Depending on the growing conditions, Aloe vera can live for up to 25 years before it dies (Reid, 2007).

Structure and Function

Just like any other plant, the rosette of succulent leaves is actually the most important organ system in Aloe vera. The leave not only play the role for catching light required for photosynthesis, but also store water for the survival of the plant during extreme weather conditions. The leaves also have a shiny and thick dermis that reflects excess heat while preventing water loss through transpiration. The leaves are rich in chlorophyll to trap light (Boudreau & Beland, 2006).

Evolution of the organism

A good number of botanists agree that Aloe vera originated from the warm and the dry climatic region of North Africa. Unlike other plants, the plant is readily adaptable, and this explains why man can carry it from one place to another. However, the plant has not undergone major evolutionary adaptations, except for some species which have reduced the size of their leaves to grass-like succulent leaves in order to survive the harsh conditions of hottest and driest parts of the world. However, its succulent leaves stores water to keep the growing until the next rains. Also, some species blossom during rainy season over a short period of time (Boudreau & Beland, 2006).

Additional Interests

While it has been mentioned earlier that pollination occurs after Aloe vera blossoms, there is no guarantee that it will actually take place. Additionally, Egyptians use to call it a plant of immortality, and this explains why Cleopatra used it as part of her beauty regimen (Skousen, 1992; Reid, 2007).

References

Boudreau, M. D., & Beland, F. A. (2006). An Evaluation of the Biological and Toxicological Properties of Aloe Barbadensis (Miller), Aloe Vera. Journal Of Environmental Science & Health, Part C -- Environmental Carcinogenesis & Ecotoxicology Reviews, 24(1), 103- 154. doi:10.1080/10590500600614303

Reid, M. (2007). Mythical Flower Stories. Lulu.com

Skousen, M. B. (1992). Aloe vera handbook. Summertown, TN: Healthy Living Publications.