Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E. Brown
Protologue: Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Kew 5: 202 (1915).
Subgenus: Sansevieria
Group: Sansevieria suffruticosa
Etymology: The epithet refers to be plant becoming woody or shrub - like.
Distribution: Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Brief Description of the Typical Species: This caulescent species spreads with stolons that may be a foot long, forming dense stands. The stem typically is decumbent and can be 30 cm long and erect, branching freely. The very rough, cylindrical leaves number 7 - 18 and are 15-60 cm long and 1.3-1.9 cm wide with a sharp brown tip. They are arranged ±distichously or in an irregular manner on the stem. The leaves are ascending or spreading and have a channel on the upper face from the base to ¼ - ½ of the leaf length. The leaves are dark green or blue green with faint to prominent light green bands and with darker green longitudinal lines. The inflorescence is 38 cm tall and simple with 5 flowers per cluster.
 

Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E. Brown subsp. argentiofolia R.H. Webb
Protologue: Sansevieria 56: 20-24 (2025).
Etymology: The subspecies refers to the silvery leaves.
Distribution: Tanzania.
Brief Description of subsp. argentiofolia: This subspecies differs from the typical species with its silvery leaves and small, mostly prostrate form, and it is distributed in central Tanzania far south of the most southerly known distribution of S. suffruticosa subsp suffruticosa. A cultivar known as 'Frosty Spears' has a grayish-white cast and is decorated with bright banding and belongs here.
 

Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E. Brown subsp. leiofolia R.H. Webb
Protologue Sansevieria 56: 20-24 (2025).
Etymology The subspecies refers to the smooth leaves.
Distribution Tanzania.
Brief Description of subsp. leiofolia This subspecies differs from the typical species with its upright smooth green leaves that are decorated with numerous light green bands. It is distributed in western Tanzania near the southwest corner of Lake Victoria.
 

Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E. Brown subsp. longituba Pfennig
Protologue Botanische Jahrbucher 102 (1-4): 178 (1981).
Etymology The subspecies refers to the long flower tube.
Distribution Kenya.
Brief Description of subsp. longituba This variety differs from the typical species with its long floral tube and smooth leaves, and it is distributed south-eastward from the type locality of the typical species.
Similar Species Sansevieria suffruticosa represents a group of stoloniferous, short cylindrical leaf species from eastern Africa. It has many leaf forms that range from relatively short (approaching the small size of S. hargeisana) to very long (approaching the large size of S. bella and S. laevifolia). A cultivar known as 'Frosty Spears' has a whitish cast and is decorated with bright banding, and other forms have subdued banding. Nonetheless, this is a distinct species that likely is more widespread in eastern African than is currently known.
 
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa at its type locality near Gilgil, Kenya.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa growing south of Arusha, Tanzania.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa flowering in cultivation. These plants are cultivated from material originally collected near Masaai Mara National Park in southwestern Kenya.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. argentiofolia, growing south of Dodoma, Tanzania.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. argentiofolia.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. argentiofolia, the cultivar 'Frosty Spears', flowering in cultivation.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. leiofolia growing west of Chato, Tanzania.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. leiofolia
 


Inflorescence of Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. leioiphila that opened during the night on a cutting.
 


Sansevieria suffruticosa subsp. longituba flowering in cultivation. This plant, collected by the late Jerry Barad, was distributed as Sansevieria sp. Mutumo Hill for many years.