(Redirected from Sansevieria guineensis)
Sansevieria hyacinthoides
(L.) Druce
Asparagaceae
It has been proposed by Pei-Luen Lu1 & Clifford W. Morden( in Phylogenetic Relationships among Dracaenoid Genera (Asparagaceae: Nolinoideae) Inferred from Chloroplast DNA Loci, Systematic Botany (2014), 39(1): pp. 90-104, DOI 10.1600/036364414X678035), that the genus Sansevieria should be transferred to the genus Dracaena. This treatment has not yet been taken up universally and so, for the time being, we are leaving Sansevieria as distinct. The proposed new name in Dracaena can be seen below in the list of synonyms.
Acyntha guineensis (L.) Medik.
Acyntha thyrsiflora (Thunb.) Kuntze
Aletris guineensis (L.) Jacq.
Aletris hyacinthoides (L.) L.
Aloe guineensis (L.) Jacq.
Aloe hyacinthoides L.
Cordyline guineensis (L.) Britton
Cordyline hyacinthoides (L.) W.Wight
Dracaena hyacinthoides (L.) Mabb.
Pleomele aloifolia Salisb.
Salmia guineensis (L.) Cav.
Salmia spicata Cav.
Sanseverinia thyrsiflora Petagna
Sansevieria angustiflora Lindb.
Sansevieria angustifolia Baker
Sansevieria ceylonica Oken
Sansevieria fulvocincta Haw.
Sansevieria guineensis (L.) Willd.
Sansevieria laetevirens Haw.
Sansevieria latifolia Bojer
Sansevieria polyphylla Haw.
Sansevieria rufocincta Baker
Sansevieria spicata (Cav.) Haw.
Sansevieria stenophylla Link
Sansevieria thyrsiflora (Petagna) Thunb.
Veltheimia guineensis (L.) Neck.
Common Name: African Bowstring Hemp
Plant flowering in the foothills of Mount Guro, Mozambique
Photograph by: Ton Rulkens
Plant flowering in the foothills of Mount Guro, Mozambique
Photograph by: Ton Rulkens
Farmer in Mozambique showing the Sanseviera hyacinthoides leaves she uses to treat chicken diseases
Photograph by: Ton Rulkens
General Information
African bowstring hemp is a stemless evergreen perennial plant, producing succulent, erect, rigid leaves 15 - 85cm or more long and 25 - 80mm wide from a freely-spreading, rhizomatous rootstock[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. The leaves can be up to 1.2 metres long[
454- Title
- Useful Fiber Plants of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dodge C.R.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- USDA; Washington.
- Year
- 1897
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The flowering stem grows 45 - 75cm or more tall[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is gathered from the wild for the fibre obtained from its leaves. This is used locally. The plant is cultivated as a fibre crop in some parts of the tropics, especially tropical America, and is also often grown as an ornamental[
,
459- Title
- The Useful Plants of the Island of Guam
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 9
- Author
- Safford W.E.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1905
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A very comprehensive, if rather dated, guide to the plants of Guam. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Southern Africa - Namibia to Kenya and Tanzania, south to S. Africa.
Habitat
Sandy or stony soils; usually under shade of trees and bushes; termite mounds; Combretum, Mopane woodland; at elevations from 50 - 1,050 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. Dry karoo, bushveld or savannah, in well drained sandy or rocky soil.
Properties
Weed Potential | Yes |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
Height | 0.50 m |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 15 - 36°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 700 - 1,400mm, but tolerates 500 - 2,000mm[
].
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Succeeds in most soils[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8[
]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant can spread freely at the roots. It is considered an invasive weed in Florida[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Fibre yields of up to 2.25 tonnes per hectare per year have been recorded[
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
A decoction of the rootstock is used as a treatment against internal parasites[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The plant is used as a treatment for fevers, toothache, ear affections and haemorrhoids[
].
The leaves contain steroidal compounds.[
].
Other Uses
A good quality fibre is obtained from the leaves[
,
454- Title
- Useful Fiber Plants of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dodge C.R.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- USDA; Washington.
- Year
- 1897
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. An excellent, soft, silky and elastic fibre[
459- Title
- The Useful Plants of the Island of Guam
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 9
- Author
- Safford W.E.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1905
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A very comprehensive, if rather dated, guide to the plants of Guam. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used for making clothes, nets, string, mats and for the production of fine papers etc[
,
].
Propagation
Seed -
Division of the rootstock.
Leaf cuttings. Cut the leaf into sections about 5cm long, place in a 2:1 mix of sand and peat in a propagating case with a bottom heat of 18°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
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