Sansevieria

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Sansevieria
Sansevieria ehrenbergii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Ruscaceae Genus: Sansevieria Thunb.
Species
See text

Sansevieria (mother-in-law's tongue) is a genus of about 70 species of flowering plants in the family Ruscaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World.^[1]

They are xerophytic herbaceous to shrubby succulent perennial plants with evergreen strap-shaped leaves, growing to 20 cm to 3 m tall, often forming dense clumps from a spreading rhizome or stolons. The flowers are greenish-white, produced on a simple or branched raceme 40-90 cm long. The fruit is a red or orange berry.

The genus was named in honor of Raimondo di Sangro (1710-1771), prince of San Severo in Italy. Spellings "Sanseveria" and "Sanseviera" are commonly seen as well, the confusion deriving from alternate spellings of the Italian place name.

Selected species

Sansevieria aethiopica Sansevieria angustiflora Sansevieria arborescens Sansevieria aubrytiana Sansevieria braunii Sansevieria canaliculata Sansevieria concinna Sansevieria cylindrica Sansevieria dawei Sansevieria deserti Sansevieria dooneri Sansevieria ehrenbergii Sansevieria fasciata Sansevieria fischeri

Sansevieria francisii Sansevieria gracilis Sansevieria grandicuspis Sansevieria grandis Sansevieria hahnii Sansevieria horwoodii Sansevieria humiflora Sansevieria hyacinthoides Sansevieria intermedia Sansevieria kirkii Sansevieria liberica Sansevieria longiflora Sansevieria metallica Sansevieria masoniana

Sansevieria parva Sansevieria patens Sansevieria phillipsiae Sansevieria pinguicula Sansevieria raffillii Sansevieria roxburghiana Sansevieria senegambica Sansevieria singularis Sansevieria stuckyi Sansevieria subspicata Sansevieria suffruticosa Sansevieria trifasciata Sansevieria zeylanica

[edit] Uses

In Africa, the leaves are used for fibre production;^[2] in some species, e.g. S. ehrenbergii, the plant's sap has antiseptic qualities, and the leaves are used for bandages in traditional first aid.

Several species are popular houseplants in temperate regions, with S. trifasciata the most widely sold; numerous cultivars are available.

[edit] References

• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Sansevieria