Identification: what kinds of aloe are these?

could someone please tell me what species of aloe these two are? thanks.

 

They really just look like common Aloe vera to me.

 

but they look like they're two different types of aloe! one has leaves that grow out in all directions and the other has leaves that only grow out in two directions (making the plant look kinda "flat"). am i just crazy?

 

Three things I know:
there are a pile of unnamed hybrid Aloes out there.
http://www.aloestudies.org/ - browse there, they have a nice image library.
and there are a few differences between this plant and A. vera (this leaf base is narrower and its rosette growth pattern is more "open" then A. vera... be careful, several Google images of A. vera are incorrect).

Curious, the two plants do look the same to me; what are you observing that has you thinking they are distinct species?

 

Susan, I believe the terra cotta colored pot's aloe has a flat affect, to borrow a term. All the leaves are on the same plane, rather than forming a loose rosette.

Leaf k, I've had unidentified aloe that has done exactly that before, putting out all leaves in a linear profile, with pups from that plant doing the same. However, in much better growing conditions it reverted to a rosette. That was long ago, so I may be mistaken, but I think I'm recalling the same plant and it's offsets going from a flat affect to a rosette.

Right now, I have some pups in dense shade that are looking like they will be that way, but at five leaves, it's premature to say for certain. The parent plant is a rosette. The leaves on this one are much more robust than the one I had years ago. However, that was in Boston's North End (no direct sunlight and pretty darn cold) and this is outdoors in Florida.

 

Distichous is I believe the term you're looking for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf

 

Excellent, saltcedar!

Distichous. Gotta remember that one.

 

thanrose, i'll bear in mind that improved conditions may alter the growth habit of my aloes. however, the small distichous (great word!) aloe comes from a loooong line of distichous aloes that were all owned by the local aloe guru. i'd ask her about the species but we're out of touch...

thanks for helping, people! i'll try that website for sure.

 

somebody at http://www.aloestudies.org/ is pretty sure the bigger aloe in the ceramic pot is aloe barbadenis. still not sure about the other one, though.