Spathiphyllum wallisii

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Spathiphyllum wallisii

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Spathiphyllum
Species:	S. wallisii

Binomial name

Spathiphyllum wallisii

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), also known as White sails, is a very popular indoor house plant. It is a clump-growing herbaceous perennial which produces white flowers which look like the hood of a cobra. Leaves are shiny and glossy, attractive even with no spathes. Peace lilies are sturdy plants with glossy, dark green oval leaves that narrow to a point. The leaves rise directly from the soil. The long-lasting flowers start out pale green and slowly turn creamy white as they open.

Spathiphyllum wallisii is one of thirty six species in a genus of tropical evergreens. It was discovered in the late 19th century growing wild in Central America. The species has been improved by the larger hybrids "Mauna Loa”, named after Hawaiian volcano, and the even larger “Sensation”, which are both popular indoor plants.

These elegant ariods produce striking, long-lasting white flowers, giving the plant its common name of Peace lily or White sails. Scientific names are also often based on an association of ideas. The botanist who named this plant obviously thought that its white flower spathe looked like a leaf-hence, in Greek, Spathiphyllum.