Reproduction of this species is nearly impossible via the commontechnique taking stem cuttings because of the acaulescent habit.For all other caulescent species in the genus this is easy to do. Yeteven this method produces only a few plants. Seed germination isjust as difficult because plants rarely flower and the pollinationbiology is set up to produce outcrossing only, with maturation ofanthers and stigmas separated in space and time .Two plants ofdiffering genotype flowering synchronously are needed to producehybrid seed .This is again a great restriction for any growerwishing to produce hundreds of spiral aloes.
Some individuals have developed tissue culture techniqueswhich also have a downside. This photo shows a 5 year old t.c.plant with a confused leaf sequence. In year 8 these plantscorrected themselves ! Real seedling have no such handicap.Tissue culture cannot become the preferred method of reproductionbecause of this factor. The preservation of any endangered species rests on increasing the genetic diversity. Cloning can not satisfy this.
The pollination biology creates hybrid seed almost exclusively. These photos show the developing inflorescence . The first flower to open is on the bottom row, and the anthesis (the sequential opening of single flowers) proceeds to the uppermost flowers. The erect unopened flowers fall pendulous and the anthers are elongated first and then release pollen. The nectaries at the base then release nectar for the Malachite Sunbird’s pollination services. After the anthers have dehisced the style is elongated ,the stigma protrudes beyond the corolla lip and becomes receptive. Each flower may produce 51 seeds from 3 locules of 17 embryos each when pollinated. After pollination the pendulous flower stands upright as the seed matures ! The epidermis of the seed capsule has fully functional chlorophyll.