| Protologue: |
Bolletino del R. Giardino Coloniari di Palermo 9: 208-213 (1910). |
| New Combination: |
Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Kew 5: 205 (1915). |
| Subgenus: |
Paniculatus |
| Group: |
Sansevieria ehrenbergii |
| Etymology: |
The epithet means "covered with dew droplets", in reference to nectar on the inflorescence. This characteristic is by no means restricted to this species. |
| Distribution: |
What is clear is that this species is from coastal Somalia, although the extent of its distribution is vague at best. Perhaps it could be considered to have a distribution centered on Mogadishu ±80 - 120 km north and south, and it could potentially occur in northeastern Kenya as well. |
| Brief Description: |
This is a short, caulescent species that spreads slowly through rhizomes. The stem is up to 23 cm high and takes a lot of time to fully develop. The 11 - 15 leaves (generally 4 - 5 when young) are distichous, ascending-spreading, slightly rough to smooth, and cylindrical with a gutter along the upper face. They are 30-53 cm in length when mature and 2.5-3.4 cm in diameter with a shallow grow ½ to ¾ of the leaf length, which narrows to a spiny tip. The leaves are a glaucous gray-green with vague mottling and numerous darker lines on the sides and lower face. The inflorescence is about 100 cm tall and paniculate with 3 - 6 flowers per cluster. |
| Similar Species: |
This species potentially has considerable variability and a number of what are considered to be undescribed species collected by the late John Lavranos could reside here. Although some have considered this within a large concept of Sansevieria ehrenbergii, we restrict that species to larger plants found in Yemen, the Sudan, Ethiopia, and perhaps northern Uganda and use Sansevieria lavranii to encapsulate larger plants found in southern Somalia into coastal Kenya and Tanzania. |
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Sansevieria rorida (Lavranos 23319), a young plant in cultivation.
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Sansevieria rorida (Lavranos 24688), a plant that could be transitional to the much larger Sansevieria lavranii.
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Sansevieria rorida in cultivation.
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