- Family:
- Asparagaceae Juss.
Chlorophytum Ker Gawl.

[FZ]
Flora Zambesiaca Anthericaceae by S. Kativu, G. Hoell, C.S. Bjorå & I. Nordal
- Morphology General Habit
- Perennial geophytic rhizomatous herbs. Plants very variable in size and robustness, 5–150 cm high.
- Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes
- Rhizome reduced or prominent, sometimes moniliform (consisting of attached corms in a chain), often bearing fibrous remains of old leaf bases.
- Morphology Roots
- Roots thick to thin and wiry with or without tubers.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves (with few exceptions) in a basal rosette or in 2 rows, appearing with the inflorescence (rarely afterwards), linear (rarely filiform) to broadly lanceolate, sometimes narrowed towards the base to a pseudopetiole, glabrous or pubescent; margins glabrous, scabrid, to ciliate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
- Peduncles central or axillary, reduced or elongated up to 150 cm, terete or ± flat, and then with wings, glabrous or pubescent, leafless or with ± bractlike leaves.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence spicate, racemose or paniculate, always multibracteate at nodes, the floral bracts unequal, 1–9 flowers per node, mostly more than 1. Pedicels mostly with a distinct joint (articulated). Flowers open, star-shaped with exposed ovary, urceolate (tepals joined at the base) to bell-shaped with ovary enclosed; tepals generally white, sometimes pink, green, yellow or brownish, colours often restricted to stripes on the outside; outer tepals slightly narrower than inner.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens straight or curved down; filaments filiform or fusiform, glabrous or papillate, longer or shorter than anthers.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
- Ovary sessile, rarely stipitate; style curved down or straight; stigma punctate to slightly capitate, minutely papillose.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule rounded or triangular to deeply 3-lobed in cross-section, with 3-valved loculicidal opening.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds black, disk-shaped, saucer-shaped to irregularly folded.
- Ecology
- An Old World tropical to subtropical genus with c.150 species in Africa, SE Asia and Australia, with the centre of diversity in tropical Africa; 56 species in the Flora Zambesiaca area. One species, Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques, is often cultivated, especially a form with variegated leaves and small plantlets at the inflorescence nodes ('Spider Plant').
[FSOM]
M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Morphology Roots
- Roots often with tubers
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves linear to ovate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence simple or branched, with flowers often more than 1 at each node or, if only 1, then supported by 2 bracts; peduncle with or without leaves or sterile bracts; pedicels usually articulated
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
- Stigma terminal, small
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule 3-angled or ± deeply 3-lobed
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds thin, flat or folded.
- Distribution
- Large genus mainly in the Old World tropics.
[FTEA]
Anthericaceae, Nordal (University of Oslo), Shakkie Kativu (University of Zimbabwe) & Axel D. Poulsen (University of Copenhagen). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1997
- Morphology General Habit
- Plants very variable in size and robustness, from 5 cm. to more than 1 m.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves in a basal rosette, rosulate or distichous, linear to broadly lanceolate, sometimes narrowed towards the base to a petiole
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence spicate, racemose or paniculate, with multibracteate nodes Pedicels, with very few exceptions, with a distinct joint (articulated), sometimes only one at each node, but in most species several (multi-nate) Peduncles reduced or elongated up to 50 cm., leafless or with ± bract-like leaves
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers open, star-shaped, urceolate to almost bell-shaped
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
- Tepals white to yellowish green, with or without greenish or reddish stripes on the outside
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens straight or declinate; filaments filiform or fusiform, glabrous or papillate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Ovary sessile, rarely stipitate; style declinate or straight
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule, ± triangular (trigonous) to deeply 3-lobed (triquetrous) in cross-section
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds thin, flat or sharply folded.
- Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes
- Rhizome reduced or prominent, sometimes moniliform (that is consisting of a series of attached corms in a chain); roots either swollen without tubers or ± wiry with distinct tubers Rhizome reduced or prominent, sometimes moniliform (that is consisting of a series of attached corms in a chain); roots either swollen without tubers or ± wiry with distinct tubers
Native to:
Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Borneo, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Central African Repu, Chad, China South-Central, China Southeast, Congo, East Himalaya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Free State, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Oman, Queensland, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sumatera, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Tibet, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Western Australia, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
Andaman Is., Azores, Ecuador, Juan Fernández Is., Korea, Madeira, Marianas, Mauritius, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Nauru, New South Wales, New Zealand North, Norfolk Is., Réunion, Seychelles, St.Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Tunisia
- Chlorophytum acutum (C.H.Wright) Nordal
- Chlorophytum affine Baker
- Chlorophytum africanum (Baker) Baker
- Chlorophytum alismifolium Baker
- Chlorophytum alpinum Benth. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum altum Engl. & K.Krause
- Chlorophytum anceps (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum andongense Baker
- Chlorophytum angulicaule (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum angustiracemosum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum angustissimum (Poelln.) Nordal
- Chlorophytum ankarense H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum appendiculatum H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum applanatum Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum arcuatoramosum R.B.Drumm.
- Chlorophytum aridum Oberm.
- Chlorophytum arundinaceum Baker
- Chlorophytum asperum J.C.Manning
- Chlorophytum assamicum D.Borah & A.P.Das
- Chlorophytum basitrichum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum baturense K.Krause
- Chlorophytum belgaumense Chandore, Malpure, Adsul & S.R.Yadav
- Chlorophytum benguellense (Baker) Meerts
- Chlorophytum benuense Engl. & K.Krause
- Chlorophytum bharuchae Ansari, Sundararagh. & Hemadri
- Chlorophytum bifolium Dammer
- Chlorophytum blepharophyllum Schweinf. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum boomense Kativu
- Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau & R.R.Fern.
- Chlorophytum bowkeri Baker
- Chlorophytum brachystachyum Baker
- Chlorophytum bracteatum Hua
- Chlorophytum brevipedunculatum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum breviscapum Dalzell
- Chlorophytum bulbinifolium Hoell & Nordal
- Chlorophytum burundiense Meerts
- Chlorophytum calyptrocarpum (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum cameronii (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum camporum Engl. & K.Krause
- Chlorophytum capense (L.) Voss
- Chlorophytum caudatibracteatum Engl. & K.Krause
- Chlorophytum caulescens (Baker) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum chelindaense Kativu & Nordal
- Chlorophytum chevalieri Poelln.
- Chlorophytum chinense Bureau & Franch.
- Chlorophytum chloranthum Baker
- Chlorophytum clarae Bjorå & Nordal
- Chlorophytum collinum (Poelln.) Nordal
- Chlorophytum colubrinum (Baker) Engl.
- Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques
- Chlorophytum cooperi (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum cordifolium De Wild.
- Chlorophytum crassinerve (Baker) Oberm.
- Chlorophytum cremnophilum van Jaarsv.
- Chlorophytum crispum (Thunb.) Baker
- Chlorophytum cyperaceum (Kies) Nordal
- Chlorophytum dalzielii (Hutch. ex Hepper) Nordal
- Chlorophytum debile Baker
- Chlorophytum decaryanum H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum decipiens Baker
- Chlorophytum dianellifolium (Baker) H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum distichum H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum diwanjii Mujaffar, A.P.Tiwari & Chandore
- Chlorophytum dolichocarpum Tamura
- Chlorophytum ducis-aprutii Chiov.
- Chlorophytum fasciculatum (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum fernandesii (Poelln.) Meerts
- Chlorophytum filifolium Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum filipendulum Baker
- Chlorophytum fischeri (Baker) Baker
- Chlorophytum gallabatense Schweinf. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum galpinii (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum geayanum (H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum geophilum Peter ex Poelln.
- Chlorophytum glaucoides Blatt.
- Chlorophytum glaucum Dalzell
- Chlorophytum goetzei Engl.
- Chlorophytum gothanense Malpure & S.R.Yadav
- Chlorophytum gracile Baker
- Chlorophytum graminifolium (Willd.) Kunth
- Chlorophytum graniticola Kativu
- Chlorophytum graniticum H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum graptophyllum (Baker) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum haygarthii J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans
- Chlorophytum herrmannii Nordal & Sebsebe
- Chlorophytum heynei Baker
- Chlorophytum hiranense Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum hirsutum A.D.Poulsen & Nordal
- Chlorophytum holstii Engl.
- Chlorophytum humbertianum H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum humifusum Cufod.
- Chlorophytum hypoxiforme (H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum hysteranthum Kativu
- Chlorophytum immaculatum (Hepper) Nordal
- Chlorophytum inconspicuum (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum indicum (Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Dress
- Chlorophytum inornatum Ker Gawl.
- Chlorophytum intermedium Craib
- Chlorophytum kolhapurense Sardesai, S.P.Gaikwad & S.R.Yadav
- Chlorophytum krauseanum (Dinter) Kativu
- Chlorophytum krookianum Zahlbr.
- Chlorophytum lancifolium Welw. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum laxum R.Br.
- Chlorophytum leptoneurum (C.H.Wright) Poelln.
- Chlorophytum lewisae Oberm.
- Chlorophytum limosum (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum littorale Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum longifolium Schweinf. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum longiscapum Dammer
- Chlorophytum longissimum Ridl.
- Chlorophytum macrophyllum (A.Rich.) Asch.
- Chlorophytum macrorrhizum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum macrosporum Baker
- Chlorophytum madagascariense Baker
- Chlorophytum malabaricum Baker
- Chlorophytum malayense Ridl.
- Chlorophytum mamillatum Elden & Nordal
- Chlorophytum minor Kativu
- Chlorophytum modestum Baker
- Chlorophytum molle (Baker) Meerts
- Chlorophytum monophyllum Oberm.
- Chlorophytum namaquense Schltr. ex Poelln.
- Chlorophytum namorokense H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum nepalense (Lindl.) Baker
- Chlorophytum nervatum (C.H.Wright) Poelln.
- Chlorophytum nervosum Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum nidulans (Baker) Brenan
- Chlorophytum nimmonii Dalzell
- Chlorophytum nubicum (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum nyasae (Rendle) Kativu
- Chlorophytum nzii A.Chev. ex Hepper
- Chlorophytum occultum A.D.Poulsen & Nordal
- Chlorophytum orchidastrum Lindl.
- Chlorophytum orchideum (Welw. ex Baker) Meerts
- Chlorophytum palghatense K.M.P.Kumar & Adsul
- Chlorophytum parkeri (Baker) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum parvulum Chiov.
- Chlorophytum paucinervatum (Poelln.) Nordal
- Chlorophytum pauciphyllum Oberm.
- Chlorophytum pauper Poelln.
- Chlorophytum pendulum Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum peralbum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum perfoliatum Kativu
- Chlorophytum petraeum Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum petrophilum K.Krause
- Chlorophytum pilosicarinatum (Poelln.) Meerts
- Chlorophytum polystachys Baker
- Chlorophytum pseudocaule Tesfaye & Nordal
- Chlorophytum pterocarpum Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum pubiflorum Baker
- Chlorophytum pusillum Schweinf. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum pygmaeum (Weim.) Kativu
- Chlorophytum radula (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum ramosissimum Nordal & Thulin
- Chlorophytum rangei (Engl. & K.Krause) Nordal
- Chlorophytum recurvifolium (Baker) C.Archer & Kativu
- Chlorophytum reflexibracteatum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum rhizopendulum Bjorå & Hemp
- Chlorophytum rigidum Kunth
- Chlorophytum ruahense Engl.
- Chlorophytum rubribracteatum (De Wild.) Kativu
- Chlorophytum rutenbergianum Vatke
- Chlorophytum saundersiae (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum scabrum Baker
- Chlorophytum senegalense (Baker) Hepper
- Chlorophytum serpens Sebsebe & Nordal
- Chlorophytum sharmae Adsul, Lekhak & S.R.Yadav
- Chlorophytum simplex Craib
- Chlorophytum sofiense (H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum somaliense Baker
- Chlorophytum sparsiflorum Baker
- Chlorophytum sphacelatum (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum sphagnicola Meerts
- Chlorophytum staudtii Nordal
- Chlorophytum stenopetalum Baker
- Chlorophytum stolzii (K.Krause) Weim.
- Chlorophytum subligulatum H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum subpetiolatum (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum suffruticosum Baker
- Chlorophytum superpositum (Baker) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum sylvestre Bardot-Vaucoulon
- Chlorophytum tenerrimum Peter ex Poelln.
- Chlorophytum tetraphyllum (L.f.) Baker
- Chlorophytum tillariense S.R.Yadav & Chandore
- Chlorophytum tordense Chiov.
- Chlorophytum transvaalense (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum trichophlebium (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum triflorum (Aiton) Kunth
- Chlorophytum tripedale (Baker) H.Perrier
- Chlorophytum tuberosum (Roxb.) Baker
- Chlorophytum ustulatum (Welw. ex Baker) Meerts
- Chlorophytum velutinum Kativu
- Chlorophytum vestitum Baker
- Chlorophytum viridescens Engl.
- Chlorophytum viscosum Kunth
- Chlorophytum waibelii K.Krause
- Chlorophytum warneckei (Engl.) Marais & Reilly
- Chlorophytum zambiense Bjorå & Nordal
- Chlorophytum zavattarii (Cufod.) Nordal
- Chlorophytum zingiberastrum Nordal & A.D.Poulsen
Chlorophytum Ker Gawl. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1, 2010 | Tchouto (Mbatchou), P. [445], Cameroon | K000542351 | No | ||
Aug 1, 2002 | Mackinder, B. [307 B], Cameroon | K000008008 | No | ||
Polhill, R. [384], Kenya | 1268.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [2280], Zimbabwe | 15163.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [27079], Zimbabwe | 15164.000 | No | |||
Drummond, R.B. [3584], Tanzania | 15165.000 | No | |||
Rayner, R.W. [282], Kenya | 16700.000 | No | |||
Rayner, R.W. [284], Kenya | 16701.000 | No | |||
16712.000 | No | ||||
Rayner, R.W. [439], Kenya | 2401.000 | No | |||
Gillett, J.B. [14109], Kenya | 2402.000 | No | |||
Verdcourt, B. [138], Tanzania | 2403.000 | No | |||
Verdcourt, B. [388], Kenya | 2404.000 | No | |||
Napier, E.R. [3565], Kenya | 2405.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [35275], Zimbabwe | 2406.000 | No | |||
Cruse, A.W. [428], Zambia | 2407.000 | No | |||
Gillett, J.B. [13968], Kenya | 2408.000 | No | |||
Rayner, R.W. [424], Kenya | 2409.000 | No | |||
Drummond, R.B. [1478], Tanzania | 2410.000 | No | |||
Napier, E.R. [3564], Kenya | 2411.000 | No | |||
Drummond, R.B. [4435], Kenya | 2412.000 | No | |||
Gillett, J.B. [12819], Kenya | 2413.000 | No | |||
Polhill, R. [795], Kenya | 3692.000 | No | |||
Tweedie, E.M. [2135], Kenya | 3694.000 | No | |||
Keay, R.W.J. [25913], Nigeria | 4440.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [44550], Zimbabwe | 4441.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [40798], Zimbabwe | 4442.000 | No | |||
Tanner, R. [476], Tanzania | 4443.000 | No | |||
Verdcourt, B. [477], Kenya | 4444.000 | No | |||
Chandler, P. [2138], Uganda | 4445.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [3953], Zimbabwe | 5446.000 | No | |||
Rayner [342], Kenya | 5447.000 | No | |||
Bally, P.R.O. [8186], Kenya | 5448.000 | No | |||
Dawkins, H.C. [367], Uganda | 5449.000 | No | |||
Wild, H. [2277], Zimbabwe | 5452.000 | No | |||
Harris, D.J. [2460], Cameroon | 60036.000 | No |
First published in Bot. Mag. 27: t. 1071 (1807)
Accepted by
- Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
- Meerts, P. & Bjorå, C.S. (2012). Synopsis of the genus Chlorophytum (Asparagaceae) in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi) Plant ecology and evolution 145: 373-409.
Literature
Flora of West Tropical Africa
- F.T.A. 7: 493.
- in Bot. Mag. t. 1071 (1807)
Flora Zambesiaca
- in Bot. Mag. 27: t.107 (1807), amended Kativu & Nordal in Nordic J. Bot. 13: 61 (1993).
- in F.T.A. 7: 493 (1898).
- ―Baker in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 15: 321 (1876);
- ―Bjorå, Hoell, Kativu & Nordal in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 157: 223–238 (2008).
- ―Krause in Engler & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed.2 15a: 284 (1930).
- ―Marais & Reilly in Kew Bull. 32: 653 (1978).
- ―Nordal, Eriksen & Fosby in Mitt. Inst. Allg. Bot. Hamburg 23b: 535 (1990).
- ―Obermeyer in Bothalia 7: 690 (1962).
- ―Stedje & Nordal in Seyani & Chikuni, Proc. 12th AETFAT Congress: 513–524 (1994).
Flora of Somalia
- Flora Somalia, Vol 4, (1995) Author: by M. Thulin [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Baker in F.T.A. 7: 493 (1898)
- Kativu & Nordal in Nordic Journ. Bot. 13: 59–65 (1993)
- Marais & Reilly in K.B. 32: 653–663 (1978)
- Nordal & Thulin in Nordic Journ. Bot. 13: 257–280 (1993)
- Nordal et al. in Mitt. Inst. Allg. Bot. Hamburg 23: 535–559 (1990)
- Oberm. in Bothalia 7: 690 (1962)
- Stedje & Nordal in Seyani & Chikuni, Proc. XIII AETFAT, Malawi, 1991: 513–524 (1994)
- emend. Nordal in Nordic Journ. Bot. 13: 61 (1993)
- in Bot. Mag. 27, t. 1071 (1807)
-
Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
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Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Plants and People Africa
Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
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