| Protologue: |
Systema Vegabilium 7: 357 (1829). |
| Etymology: |
For Dr. William Roxburgh, a botanist and physician with the East India Company in the 19th century. |
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Sansevieria roxburghiana Schultes f. subsp. longifolia R.H. Webb |
| Protologue: |
Sansevieria 53: 12-15. |
| Etymology: |
The name of the subspecies refers to the leaves that are much longer than the typical species. |
| Subgenus: |
Sansevieria |
| Group: |
Sansevieria roxburghiana |
| Distribution: |
Southern to eastern India. |
| Brief Description: |
Short acaulescent shrub with ascending-spreading flexible light yellow-green leaves that can number of to 24 per rosette. The leaves are about 20-60 cm long and 1.3-2.5 cm wide. The leaves have a central channel, or gutter, and bear numerous longitudinal light green lines. The inflorescence is 30-78 cm tall and simple with 4 flowers per cluster. |
| Brief Description of Subspecies longifolia: |
Sansevieria roxburghiana subsp. longifolia has much longer leaves and a taller inflorescence tan the typical species. It occurs near the southern tip of India. |
| Similar Species: |
This species could be confused with Sansevieria zeylanica, a highly variable species from Sri Lanka. As well, Sansevieria ebracteata is a larger species with similar characteristics, but that species has mostly cylindrical leaves. Sansevieria burmanica from Myanmar has a similar hábitat and leaf patterning but has wider leaves. Field work by Indian plant enthusiasts suggests a wide range in size and characteristics for this species. |
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Sansevieria roxburghiana in cultivation.
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Flowering Sansevieria roxburghiana in cultivation.
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Sansevieria roxburghiana subsp. longifolia flowering in cultivation.
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