ALOE

ALOE is a succulent plant and also a genus of succulent plants embracing 200 species. The majority of its species are natives of Southern Africa or the Old World tropics. It belongs to Liliaceae (or Aloaceae) family.

This plant has typically a rosette of toothed fleshy leaves. Its blowers grows on its long stems, and they are either bell-shaped or tubular. It is valuable in medicine, in particular a purgative from the juice of the leaves of several species.

Several species of aloe are also cultivated.

One of its kind is known as bitter aloe. The strong laxative obtained from its juice is also called aloe.

Century plant is also called American aloe.

The fragrant heartwood of a tropical or oriental Asian tree is also called aloeswood or simply aloes. There are two trees of the genus Aquilaria belonging to Thymelaeaceae from which the wood is obtained. A resin is also obtained from its wood which is mainly used in perfume and incense. It has also medicinal use.