| Protologue: |
Sansevieria On-Line 10(4) (2022). |
| Etymology: |
The epithet honors Mike Phillips, a British citizen who helped create the International Sansevieria Society and wrote an initial description for this species. |
| Subgenus: |
Sansevieria |
| Group: |
Sansevieria suffruticosa |
| Distribution: |
Central Tanzania in the Kitonga Gorge. |
| Brief Description: |
This acaulescent, stoloniferous perennial has 4-5 leaves oppositely arranged in a rosette. The leaves are spreading, stiff, and cylindrical with a channel on the upper face that ends in a distinctive spur. The leaves are 33-42 cm long by a 1.5cm thick ending with a sharp tip. The leaves are dark green to yellow-green in color with no banding or lighter green transverse banding on some leaves; the sides have 3 -4 shallow longitudinal grooves, and most leaves are smooth with some rough bases. The inflorescence is 75-85 cm tall, simple, and lax with 1 - 2 flowers per cluster. |
| Similar Species: |
This species was in cultivation as Sansevieria cv 'Kitonga' prior to being described as a species. Mike Phillips wrote a description but did not name it and did not prepare an herbarium specimen. This species is unique within the Sansevieria suffruticosa group because of its typically smooth leaves, lack of banding, and a spur mid-leaf at the end of the channel; that spur is not necessarily present in all plants of this species. Sansevieria laevifolia also has smooth leaves but is a much larger species from south-central Kenya with yellow-green leaves. Sansevieria patens shares some similarities with S. mikephillipsii but has roughened leaves, numerous lateral grooves on the sides, a shorter inflorescence, and no spur at the end of the channel. |
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In habitat in the Kitonga Gorge, Tanzania. This form does not have the spur at the end of the leaf channel.
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Sansevieria mikephillipsii flowering in cultivation.
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The characteristic spur (lower left) at the end of the leaf channel of Sansevieria mikephillipsii.
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