| Protologue: |
Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Kew 5: 233 (1915). |
| Etymology: |
The epithet refers to the plants as neat, pretty, and(or) elegant. |
| Distribution: |
This species occurs predominantly in the southern coastal parts of Mozambique with an extension into northern Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa. |
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Sansevieria concinna N.E. Brown subsp. sudwallensis R.H. Webb |
| Protologue: |
Sansevieria 43: 19-25 (2019). |
| Etymology: |
The epithet refers to the plants as from the vicinity of Sudwalla Caves in South Africa |
| Distribution: |
Subspecies sudwallensis is an outlier in the typical species distribution, occurring well inland near Sudwalla Caves in South Africa. |
| Subgenus: |
Sansevieria |
| Group: |
Sansevieria concinna |
| Brief Description of the Species: |
On the basis of several plants with collection data, this species is variable in size and leaf characters. The typical description is of an acaulescent species spreading through rhizomes. There can be up to 5 rosulate and smooth leaves that mostly are ascending with some spreading with age. Their shape is lanceolate with a prominent leaf petiole that may be ¼ to ½ the length of the leaf, which tends to be 15-25 cm long and 1.25 -3 cm wide. Leaves and petioles alike may be a uniform medium green color or have vague to prominent mottling and banding. Forms that are known to remain dwarf-size in cultivation are known from both Mozambique and South Africa, but this character does not seem to be sufficient to justify separation into varieties or subspecies. The inflorescence is 15-30 cm tall and simple with 1 - 2 flowers per cluster. |
| Brief Description of Subspecies sudwallensis: |
This subspecies is larger in all respects than the typical species; in addition, the leaf petioles have a distinctive purplish mottling. |
| Similar Species: |
The so-called “spoon-leaf species” are mostly geographical variants of Sansevieria concinna. No other species of Sansevieria has the prominent leaf petiole of this species, although the leaves of many species taper to a narrow but very short petiole above rhizomes. Sansevieria subspicata also has spoon-shaped leaves but they are much wider. |
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Sansevieria concinna (Lavranos 5933) in cultivation.
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A flowering plant of Sansevieria concinna (Lavranos 5949) in cultivation.
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A flowering plant of Sansevieria concinna 'Lake Sibaya' (Hardy 19879) in cultivation.
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Sansevieria concinna subsp. sudwallensis in cultivation.
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