Sansevieria sinus-simiorum Chahinian
Protologue: Sansevieria Journal 3: 24 (2002).
Subgenus: Capitulatus
Group: Sansevieria hallii
Etymology: The epithet of this species refers to its type locality of Monkey Bay, Malawi.
Distribution: Malawi.
Brief Description: This acaulescent and rhizomatous species generally has 1 - 2 leaves when young but up to 8 - 10 in older plants. The smooth leaves, which have a length of 100-150 cm, a width of 6 cm, and a thickness of about 60 mm at the base, tend to be crowded together and straight (sometimes curving slightly) with a crescent-shaped channel ± 1/3 the width of the leaf at the bottom and flaring to almost the full width of the leaf at the blunt tip. The smooth leaves are medium to dark green and glossy with inconspicuous cross-banding when young, vanishing with age, and the undersides of the leaves bear numerous discontinuous lines that mostly reach the tip. The inflorescence is up to a 39 cm tall and capitate.
Similar Species: Sansevieria sinus-simiorum is the largest in what might be considered the Sansevieria hallii group, also known by the colloquial name "baseball bats". For example, one cultivar is Sansevieria sinus-simiorum 'Giant Green Bat', which occasionally is listed as a cultivar of S. hallii. We find there could be overlap among some of the larger plants considered to be within the purview of S. hallii and shorter forms of S. sinus-simiorum. This species conceivably could be confused with some of the javelin-like species, including Sansevieria stuckyi and S. fischeri. Sansevieria sinus-simiorum tends to have a broad channel towards the blunt and flared tip, in comparison to the general lack of channel in S. stuckyi and S. fischeri; S. sinus-simiorum has as a more glossy gray-green to green color.
 
 


Sansevieria sinus-simiorum in habitat at Monkey Bay, Lake Malawi, Malawi.
 


Sansevieria sinus-simiorum (Richards 1734) in cultivation.
 


Sansevieria sinus-simiorum 'Giant Green Bat' in cultivation.