Aloe bainesii in Grahamstown, 1977

Caption: "Two of five magnificent Aloe Bainesii at entrance to Mr. Basil Gowie's property in Oatlands, Grahamstown, July 1977, the site of the old firm of W.C. Gowie & Sons, nurserymen & seedsmen."The scar at the base of the lefthand tree occurred in June 1977 when this whole section of the tree 'calved' from the main stem on its own. Two other large A.bainesii trees, almost as large grow to the left, out of the picture, and a fifth can be seen in the near distance behind the two figured. These pictures may prove to be significant in that trees of comparable size nearby in Oatlands are gradually collapsing as if having reached their limits.