Aloe buettneri (Synonyms Aloe barteri Baker 1860 p.p. ) is a succulent perennial herb up to 30-85 cm tall, without stem, usually solitary, rarely branching into two or suckering, with leaf bases forming a caracteristing underground bulb-like rootstock c. 10 cm in diameter. Such a bulb-like base is not unique in the aloe genus; Aloe bowiea, Aloe kniphofioides and Aloe inconspicua of South Africa, Aloe richardsiae and Aloe bullockii of Tanzania all have bulbs. Aloe buettneri has flower varied in colour.
Roots: Thick and fleshy.
Leaves: About 16 thick and slightly fleshy in a basal rosette, , deciduous, erect to spreading broad at the base. Leaf bases forming an underground bulb-like swelling. Stipules absent. Petiole absent. Blade triangular, 30-50(-80) cm long, 7-9(-12) cm wide, distinctly V-shaped in section, leathery, apple-green, scattered whitish spots, apex acuminate, margin cartilaginous, hard and tough, sharply toothed. Teeth triangular, firm white to pale pink sharp 1-4 mm long, in irregular distance (1-15 mm apart), alternately two closely neighbouring teeth are followed by one solitary tooth.
Inflorescence: 2 or 3 consecutively with a thick stem (40-)60-90(-100) cm long, with 3-5(-12) obliquely spreading branches, and with a few sterile, ovate bracts below the racemes. Branches bearing a cylindrical-conical to almost head-like racemes 10-20 cm long and 7-8 cm broad ± laxly flowered. Floriferous bracts deltoid-acute or lanceolate-acuminate, 8-15 mm long 5-8 mm wide, pale green, 5-7-nerved.
Flowers: Bi-sexual, regular, 3-merous varied in colour, green, yellow, orange or dull red. Pedicel 15-25 mm long, elongating to 5 cm in fruit and thickening conspicuously. Perianth tubular, (28-)35-40(-45) mm ling and 8-10 mm broad, rounded at the base, gradually constricted with the narrowest part about 1/3 length from the base then widening towards the mouth. Lobes 6, c. 12 mm long outer segments free near apex, inner segments free but adnate to outer with tips very slightly spreading. Stamens 6, slightly exserted up to 2 mm. Ovary superior, 3-celled, ±7x8 mm in diamete, style filiform, stigma head-shaped, exserted up to 4 mm.
Roots: Thick and fleshy.
Leaves: About 16 thick and slightly fleshy in a basal rosette, , deciduous, erect to spreading broad at the base. Leaf bases forming an underground bulb-like swelling. Stipules absent. Petiole absent. Blade triangular, 30-50(-80) cm long, 7-9(-12) cm wide, distinctly V-shaped in section, leathery, apple-green, scattered whitish spots, apex acuminate, margin cartilaginous, hard and tough, sharply toothed. Teeth triangular, firm white to pale pink sharp 1-4 mm long, in irregular distance (1-15 mm apart), alternately two closely neighbouring teeth are followed by one solitary tooth.
Inflorescence: 2 or 3 consecutively with a thick stem (40-)60-90(-100) cm long, with 3-5(-12) obliquely spreading branches, and with a few sterile, ovate bracts below the racemes. Branches bearing a cylindrical-conical to almost head-like racemes 10-20 cm long and 7-8 cm broad ± laxly flowered. Floriferous bracts deltoid-acute or lanceolate-acuminate, 8-15 mm long 5-8 mm wide, pale green, 5-7-nerved.
Flowers: Bi-sexual, regular, 3-merous varied in colour, green, yellow, orange or dull red. Pedicel 15-25 mm long, elongating to 5 cm in fruit and thickening conspicuously. Perianth tubular, (28-)35-40(-45) mm ling and 8-10 mm broad, rounded at the base, gradually constricted with the narrowest part about 1/3 length from the base then widening towards the mouth. Lobes 6, c. 12 mm long outer segments free near apex, inner segments free but adnate to outer with tips very slightly spreading. Stamens 6, slightly exserted up to 2 mm. Ovary superior, 3-celled, ±7x8 mm in diamete, style filiform, stigma head-shaped, exserted up to 4 mm.