Post on 30-Jan-2021
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“ALOE 88”
SUCCULENT PLANTS OF ZIMBABWE Issued 14th July 1988
This set of stamps was issued to commemorate the holding of Zimbabwe’s second international
succulent plant congress in Harare from 18th to 24th July, 1988. The Congress, known as “Aloe
88” was organised by the Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Zimbabwe.
(Extracts from Philatelic Bureau Bulletin No 3 of 1988)2
15c: Aloe cameronii variety bondana
Depicted is a variety of Aloe cameronii
which is endemic in Zimbabwe and occurs
only in the Manicaland Province where it
grows mainly on granite whaleback type hills
at the higher and colder altitudes in
Zimbabwe ranging from 1 500 to 2 000
metres. The leaves are green during the rainy
season and turn a beautiful copper-red colour
during the winter flowering months. Flowers
appear from April to June with colours
varying from scarlet through pink to orange
and yellow with occasional bicoloured red
and yellow specimens. The plant is easy to
propagate from seed or from offsets.
.
23c: Orbeopsis caudata
Portrayed is one of the 27 stapeliads which
occur naturally in Zimbabwe. This species is
widely distributed throughout the country
being found in all provinces as well as in
Angola and Namibia, usually among dead
leaves in woodland and often, though not
always, in sandy soil. The plant produces
starshaped flowers which span from 5 to 10
cm and are usually lemon-yellow in colour,
but profusely spotted with a few purple hairs
on the margins of the long and tapering
corolla lobes. The species is easy to
reproduce from seed or from one of the stems
of a mature plant.
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25c: Euphorbia wildii
Showing one of the 28 succulent Euphorbia
which are found in Zimbabwe. This species
is endemic in Zimbabwe and is only found on
the northern portion of the Great Dyke
between Darwendale and the Mavuradonha
range of mountains in northern
Mashonaland. The plant grows in the
serpentine soils rich in chromium and
magnesium, on the stony slopes of rugged
hills at altitudes of approximately 1 500
metres. The species is a stout succulent shrub
which grows up to 3 metres high and its
leaves are green during the summer season
and reddish in the dry winter from May to
August. The plant may be grown easily from
seed
30c: Euphorbia fortissimo
Featuring another of the Euphorbia species
which is found in Zimbabwe in scattered
areas from the Hwange district in
Matabeleland eastwards to near Lake Kariba
and the Zambesi River in northern
Mashonaland and also in Zambia. The plant
is a succulent, spiny candelabra shaped tree
which attains a height of up to 5 metres. The
stem is fairly short and the branches, which
are up to 5 metres long, are elliptically
segmented and three to four angled with
strong marginal spines. The species is easily
propagated from seed
35c: Aloe aculeata
This an aloe which is relatively widespread
in parts of the Manicaland and Matabeleland
Provinces of Zimbabwe as well as in the
Masvingo and Lowveld areas, usually at
altitudes of below 1 000 metres and in sandy
soils. The leaves tend to be very prickly and
their colour varies from grey-blue to green.
Flowers appear from June to August and vary
from scarlet through to pink with attractive
bicolour red and yellow specimens occurring
particularly in the eastern districts. The
species hybridises naturally in habitat with
other species and is an excellent parent plant
for artificial hybridisation. The species is
easily reproduced from seed.
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38c: Huernia zebrina
Depicting the most striking and attractive of
the stapeliads found naturally in Zimbabwe.
This plant occurs in the lowveld particularly
near the Limpopo River in the Beitbridge
district and the Mwenezi River Gorge as well
as in southern Matabeleland, growing in hot
and dry woodland areas at altitudes of below
1 000 metres. The flowers are characterised
by yellow and maroon striped corolla lobes
and a prominent shiny deep maroon central
annulus. The distinctive stripes which give
the species its name, vary from being
numerous and fine to scarce and broad. The
plant may be bred from branch cuttings or
seed.
The Stamps
Catalogue listings
SG ZSC1 Value Description
734 161 15c Aloe cameronii var bondana
735 162 23c Orbeopsis caudata
736 163 25c Euphorbia wildii
737 164 30c Euphorbia fortissima
738 165 35c Aloe aculeata
739 166 38c Huernia zebrina
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Technical details
Stamp size: All values 28 x 42 mm
Sheet Size: 50 stamps (5 rows of 10 stamps), two panes per printed sheet
Artist: Nancy Abrey, from photographs by Mike Kimberley and Darrel
Plowes
Paper: ZSC paper type D – HS8, fluorescent front and back, with cream
PVA gum.
Print colours: Black, magenta, cyan, yellow
Perforations: SG 14½, ZSC 14¼
Left margin: Perforated through.
Other margins: Imperforate
Printer: National Printing & Packaging, Harare, Zimbabwe
Printer’s Imprint: Bottom Margin, below Row 5 Columns 4 to 7. Imprint printed in
black
Cylinder numbers: Bottom margin below R5/1. Colours from left – cyan, magenta,
yellow, black
Colour register: Type TL 4– round boxed – left margin opposite R5/1. Colours
reading down – cyan, magenta, yellow, black
Sheet Value: Bottom Margin, under 5/10, printed in black.
Sheet Number: Type SN 4a with ‘PTC’ prefix, right margin opposite R5/10,
reading down
Print numbers: 15c 1,000,000 23c 500,000
25c 350,000 30c 350,000
35c 320,000 38c 320,000
Issue date: 14th July, 1988
Withdrawal from sale:
Demonetarisation: 31st January, 1994
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Listed varieties
No listed varieties have been noted
Unlisted Varieties
There are numerous small dots and specks in the printing of these stamps, particularly in the
backgrounds. Some dots and specks shown below are a bit more distinctive, some may be
constant.
15c: Additional yellow area
to centre flower. R4/6
23c: distinct colour
difference of flowers to row
5 as compared to rows
above
25c: Imperforate stamp with
wide top margin. The
margin above is much larger
than usual, suggesting that
this is not from a printing
sheet that was trimmed.
25c: Black dash to left side
of stamp, R5/10, possibly
constant
23c: Imperforate stamp with
wide right margin. The
margin is much wider than
usual, suggesting that this is
not from a printing sheet
that was trimmed
(Source eBay)
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35c: Imperforate proof with wide right
margin
(Source eBay November 2020)
First Day Covers
The cover numbering comes from the catalogue
produced by Geoff Brakspear.
A pictorial first day of issue canceller was produced
for this issued and was used by the Philatelic Bureau.
Other first day cover cancellers continued to be used
at main post offices.
ZW035.1 (PTC)
228 x 160 mm
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ZW035.2.1
191 x 100 mm
ZW035.2.2
191 x 100 mm
Above covers produced by Fleetwood, Cheyenne, Wyoming USA
Collection of Flora & Fauna of the World for The National Audubon Society
Bibliography:
1. “The Zimbabwean Concise Postage Stamp Catalogue”, published by Harare Stamp Company, edited by Ken Allanson, Mike Amos and Geoff Brakspear. The catalogue continues to be updated and expanded by
Geoff Brakspear
2. PTC Philatelic Bureau Bulletin No 3 of 1988.