It is shown that, contrary to earlier suppositions, it was possible fo
r Thunberg to have seen living material of robust Aloe plants from the
eastern Transvaal and southern Mozambique. For this reason there is n
othing impossible in the suggestion that the type specimen of Aloe spi
cata L.f. is conspecific with plants presently called A. sessiliflora
Pole-Evans. Evidence is presented showing that A. sessiliflora is a la
ter synonym of A. spicata. Other species in Aloe section Anguialoe are
discussed briefly.