Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. is a herbaceous plant in the family Asphodelaceae under the order Liliophyta. It is perennial and evergreen, with very short stems above ground; the leaves are thick and juicy, narrowly lanceolate, with a broad, powdery green base and spiny, tooth-like edges; the flowers have yellow or red spots; the fruits are triangular; flowering occurs at the end of winter. The character "luo" in "Aloe" means black, while "hui" means to gather. Aloe is named so because the liquid that drips from the cut leaves turns from coffee brown to black and gradually coalesces.