aloe (alo)

[ tuagint and the New Testament (and hence in the LL. (Vulgate) and mod. languages) to trans Aloë vulgar is, with flower entire and cut longitudinally. late the Heb. akhālīm, akhālōth, of which the proper representative is Gr. ἀγάλλοχον, NL. agallochum, E. agalloch, q. v., the fragrant resin or wood which was called in later Gr. ξυλαλόη, whence in NL. (transposed) aloëxylon, and (translated) lignum aloes, F. bois d'aloès, lit. wood of the aloe, in E. wood- aloes and aloes-wood. The form aloes, as sing., is due to the ML. sing. aloes, and in part, perhaps, to the L. gen. aloes in lignum aloes, E. lign - aloes, q. v. In the earliest E. (AS.) use the reference is usually to the agallochum, but it is often diff i tell which meaning is intended, and even in modern writers the difference is often ignored.] The common name of the plants of the genus Aloë. They are natives of warm climates of the old world, and are especially abundant in the southern part of Africa. Among the Mohammedans the aloe is a symbolic plant, especially in Egypt, and every one who returns from a pilgrimage to Mecca hangs it over his street door, as a token that he has performed the journey. In Africa the leaves of some species of aloe are made into ropes, fishing-lines, bow-strings, and hammocks. Several species yield aloes, the well-known bitter purgative med i cine. The American aloe is the century-plant, Agave American a, and the false aloe is A. Virginica. See Agave. Many species are cultivated for ornament, growing readily on very dry soil. See aloes.