| Protologue: |
Cactus and Succulent Journal (Los Angeles) 86 (2): 76 (2014). |
| Etymology: |
The epithet honors Dr. Leonard E. Newton, formerly a professor of botany at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, and a plant collector who has described several species of sansevierias. |
| Subgenus: |
Sansevieria |
| Group: |
Sansevieria dawei |
| Distribution: |
Central Uganda and northwestern Tanzania. |
| Brief Description: |
This broad-leaf acaulescent and rhizotomous species has 2 - 9 leaves that are erect and recurving, lanceolate, and narrowed towards the base to a channelled petiole. They are 86-170 cm and 8-11 cm wide, flexible, smooth on the upper side and slightly rough on the lower side, and narrowed upwards to a dried soft tip. The leaves are medium green with the lower surfaces lighter in color and bearing faint banding and blotches. The margin is thin and reddish-brown in color. The inflorescence is up to 124 cm in height and simple with 6 flowers per cluster. |
| Similar Species: |
Sansevieria newtoniana clearly is related to Sansevieria dawei and it could be confused with certain forms of that species. The leaves of S. newtoniana are longer, a lighter green color, and are more flexible. Sansevieria conduplicata from northern Uganda is also similar but seasonally folds and seems to have an overall lighter green color. |
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Sansevieria newtoniana flowering at its type locality in Uganda (photograph by Tom Forrest).
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Sansevieria newtoniana in Tom Forrest's garden in Kampala, Uganda (photograph by Tom Forrest).
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