Hi Japie,

Yes there's nothing quite like a mass of any plants growing in habitat, and I can imagine what they must look like when they flower, especially with that beautiful clear, blue sky as a back drop.

True, they're not brom's, but we can still appreciate nature can't we?

Thanks for posting, all the best, Nev.

Japie, did you see the recent Tropiflora report? Dennis went to SA and he had a fair number of Aloe pics in his report.

Japie,
I could look at photos like that all day long. My other loves are Alluaudia, Didierea, Sansevieria, Pachypodium and strange Madagascan succulents. Too bad we don't have an "Off-Topic" forum. Since we don't, I say "More!".

Very good Japie ,can imagen the floral display when blooming ,The Lillyeacea to wich they belong is a large and wonderfull family wich includes distant relatives like orchids ,the whole family has flowers consisting of 3 inner petals and 3 outer petals (sepals ) with a central stigma and 6 pollen bearing anthers ,(in orchids fused together ) just like Bromeliad flowers ,could there be a genetic link after all ? we do class plants by there flowers dont we ? food for thought . Jack ,P.s in holland i was also called Japie .

Wow Japie - that landscape looks surreal. It must be an artist's dream when in full flower...with, as Nev said, that beautiful blue sky as a contrast.

Regardless of my non-comprehendo, numerical morphology Jack, the Aloes' shapely rosette of leaves and colourful inflorescences have oft reminded me of bromeliads. The same for the rosettes of the American Agaves. I grow a few different varieties of each, too wet for some, but always love the repeat flowering year after year of the Aloes in winter.

K :)

Thanks for that link, Nick, I have not seen it yet as it does not show up where all the others are. In the previous issue was also an article about South Africa.

And some more for you to look at Gonzer! Note the first one where lush, green (irrigated from the Orange River)and dry, arid meet each other!

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Japie

ooooh! - fantastic photos Japie, and truly beautiful landscapes.

K :)

So are we still on earth ? Jack

Splendid Japie! The stark landscapes in So. Africa hide so much floral diversity that, come the wet season, they must be a botanist's "nirvana". I've always admired the folks who go hunting for new species of Lithops and other mesembs in those lunar 'scapes. How they retain their sanity is beyond me!

Hi Japie,

Spectacular stuff! I'm another one who could look at scenery like that all day. Thanks for showing them. Cheers, Paul

Japie,

Nice photos, are those Aloes used for medicinal purposes?

Aloe Vera is widely used over here on burns as a backyard remedy, at a recent talk at our society one of our knowledgeable members says that she uses it to stop marks on cut brom leaves and to heal creased leaves.

Rick