- Family:
- Asparagaceae Juss.
- Genus:
- Chlorophytum Ker Gawl.
Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques

[CPLC]
Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co
- Distribution
- Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 1480 - 1500 m.; Andes.
- Morphology General Habit
- Hierba
[FZ]
Flora Zambesiaca Anthericaceae by S. Kativu, G. Hoell, C.S. Bjorå & I. Nordal
- Morphology General Habit
- Plants 15–70 cm high.
- Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes
- Rhizome small, often indistinct.
- Morphology Roots
- Roots narrow to slightly swollen, often with elongated tubers.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves in basal rosette, pseudopetiolate, lanceolate, acute, glabrous, 8–40 × 0.5–4 cm, margins minutely scabrid.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
- Peduncles 1–4 per plant, terete, glabrous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence usually unbranched or with only 1–2 branches, sometimes represented by sterile bracts, or ± paniculate; outer floral bracts oblanceolate, glabrous, inner ones narrower, small, shortly cilate on margins, to 10 mm long; rachis often scabrid.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
- Pedicels articulated above middle, lower ones 2–4 per node, 4–5 mm long in fruit.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
- Perianth white; tepals 5–7 mm long, 3-veined.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens as long or slightly longer than perianth; filaments smooth, dilated above middle, longer than anthers.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
- Ovary sessile, with c.4 ovules per locule; style as long as stamens.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsules deeply lobed, often bearing perianth remains, 3–5(9) × 4–5 mm.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds saucer-shaped, slightly folded, 1.5–2 mm across.
- Distribution
- A widespread and variable species complex found across sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ecology
- Usually growing in shade, generally in evergreen forests or woodlands; 50–1800 m.
- Conservation
- Conservation notes: Widespread taxon; not threatened.
[UPFC]
- Distribution
- Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1480–1500 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC.
- Habit
- Herb.
- Ecology
- Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.
[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
- A variable complex of plants with ± lax leaves and peduncles, sometimes drying blackish.
- Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes
- Rhizome short, vertical or sometimes horizontal with elongated internodes; roots ± spongy, often with spindle-shaped tubers.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves rosulate, petiolate or not, lanceolate to strap-shaped, usually glabrous, 10–60(–100) cm. long, 1–3(–4) cm. wide, sometimes with scabrid margin.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
- Peduncles often more than one to a plant, 5–20(–50) cm. long, erect to ± drooping, glabrous to scabrid, with a few sterile bracts just below the inflorescence.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence 10–50(–75 cm.), usually simple, sometimes ± paniculate; rhachis sometimes somewhat scabrid, internode elongation varies considerably giving dense to extremely lax inflorescences; floral bracts 5–20 mm., acute to acuminate.
- Vegetative Multiplication
- Small plantlets often produced from the bracts of the inflorescence (pseudovivipary).
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
- Pedicels articulated in upper half, 4–10 mm. long, slightly reflexed during anthesis, erect in fruit, 2–4-nate at the lower nodes.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
- Perianth slightly urceolate, whitish, often keeled greenish outside and apically; tepals patent to somewhat reflexed at anthesis, 4–7 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, 3-veined, with scabrid margins.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens exserted; filaments fusiform, dilated above the middle, scabrid to papillose, 3–5 mm. long, longer than the 1–2.5 mm. long, versatile anthers.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
- Style straight, as long as the stamens.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule triquetrous to deltate, emarginate, usually somewhat broader than long, 4–9 mm. long, 5–9(–11) mm. wide.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds saucer-shaped, slightly folded, 2–3 mm. in diameter.
- Habitat
- Undergrowth in rain-forest and riverine forest on brown to black loamy clay, also in crevices in rocks along streams, sometimes epiphytic or penetrating into more open and drier areas (or persists when the forest disappears); sea-level to 2450 m.
- Distribution
- K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 a widespread complex species of rain-forest areas of Africa south of the Sahara, from West, Central and East Africa including Ethiopia, southwards to the Cape.
[UNAL]
Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/
- Vernacular
- cinta, cintilla, lazo de amor, madre moderna
[UPFC]
- Use Environmental
- Environmental uses.
- Use Food
- Used for food.
- Use Medicines
- Medical uses.
- Use Social
- Social uses.
Native to:
Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
Andaman Is., Bangladesh, Ecuador, Gabon, Juan Fernández Is., Korea, Marianas, Mauritius, Nauru, New South Wales, New Zealand North, Norfolk Is., Réunion, Seychelles, St.Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Tunisia, Western Australia
- Anthericum comosum Thunb.
- Anthericum longituberosum Poelln.
- Anthericum picturatum Dreer
- Anthericum sternbergianum Schult. & Schult.f.
- Anthericum vallis-trappii Poelln.
- Anthericum vittatum Anon.
- Anthericum williamsii Anon.
- Chlorophytum brevipes Baker
- Chlorophytum bukobense Engl.
- Chlorophytum burchellii Baker
- Chlorophytum delagoense Baker
- Chlorophytum elatulum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum elgonense Bullock
- Chlorophytum gazense Rendle
- Chlorophytum glaucidulum Engl. ex Poelln.
- Chlorophytum inopinum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum kirkii Baker
- Chlorophytum limurense Rendle
- Chlorophytum longum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum magnum Peter ex Poelln.
- Chlorophytum miserum Rendle
- Chlorophytum nemorosum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum paludicola Poelln.
- Chlorophytum ramiferum Rendle
- Chlorophytum rugosum Poelln.
- Chlorophytum sternbergianum (Schult. & Schult.f.) Steud.
- Chlorophytum turritum Peter ex Poelln.
- Chlorophytum usambarense Engl. ex Poelln.
- Cordyline vivipara Steud.
- Hartwegia comosa (Thunb.) Nees
- Hollia comosa (Thunb.) Heynh.
- Phalangium comosum (Thunb.) Poir.
- Phalangium viviparum Reinw. ex Kunth
- Caesia comosa (Thunb.) Spreng.
- English
- Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1, 2000 | Last, J.T. [s.n.], Mozambique | K000256936 | Unknown type material | Yes | |
Jan 1, 1992 | Kirk [s.n.], Tanzania | K000256905 | holotype | Yes | |
Jan 1, 1992 | Swynnerton, C.F.M. [318], Mozambique | K000256934 | Unknown type material | Yes | |
Jan 1, 1992 | Swynnerton, C.F.M. [318], Mozambique | K000256935 | Unknown type material | Yes | |
Hepper, F.N. [5180], Tanzania | 34330.000 | No | |||
Monteiro [s.n.], Mozambique | K000256933 | holotype | Yes | ||
Burchell [3650], South Africa | K000256979 | Unknown type material | Yes | ||
Wild, H. [3839], Zimbabwe | Chlorophytum gazense | 5439.000 | No | ||
Drummond, R.B. [3052], Tanzania | Chlorophytum inopinum | 4431.000 | No | ||
Polhill, R. [2322], Tanzania | Chlorophytum kirkii | 29370.000 | No | ||
Drummond, R.B. [4335], Kenya | Chlorophytum limurense | 5440.000 | No |
First published in J. Soc. Imp. Centr. Hort. 8: 345 (1862)
Accepted by
- Bosser, J. & al. (eds.) (1978). Flore des Mascareignes 177-188 IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
- Cameron, E.K. (2021). Updated vascular flora and vegitation of the Noises islands, Hauraki Gulf Journal, Auckland Botanical Society 76: 51-81.
- Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
- Danton, P. & Perrier, C. (2004). Liste de la Flore vasculaire de l'île Robinson Crusoe archipel Juan Fernández, Chili Journal de Botanique Société de Botanique de France 24: 67-78.
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Demissew, S. & Nordal, I. (2010). Aloes and other Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea, ed, 2: 1-351. Shama Books, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A. & Obholzer, J. (2010). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Kakamega forest, Western province, Kenya Journal of East African Natural History 99: 129-226.
- Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1987). A Geographical Checklist of the Micronesian Monocotyledonae Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 20: 19-129.
- George, A.S. (ed.) (1987). Flora of Australia 45: 1-521. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
- Gremmen, N. & Halbertsma, R.L. (2009). Alien plants and their impact on Tristan da Cunha 2: 1-307. Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP).
- Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánes, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador: 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
- Lee, W.T. (1996). Lineamenta Florae Koreae: 1-1688. Soul T'ukpyolsi: Ak'ademi Sojok.
- Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds.) (2004). A Checklist of Zimbabwean Vascular Plants: 1-148. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network (SABONET), Pretoria.
- 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.
- Orchard, A.E. (ed.) (1994). Oceanic Islands 1 Flora of Australia 49: 1-681. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.
- Robertson, S.A. (1989). Flowering Plants of Seychelles: 1-327. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mt. Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34: 1-199.
- Timberlake, J.R. & Martins, E.S. (eds.) (2008). Flora Zambesiaca 13(1): 1-140. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- von Raab-Straube, E. & Raus, T. (eds.) (2018). Euro+Med-Checklist Notulae, 9 Willdenowia 48: 195-220.
Literature
Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia
- Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co
Flora Zambesiaca
- in F.C. 6: 400 (1897).
- in J. Soc. Imp. Centr. Hort. 8: 345 (1862).
- ―Baker in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 15: 329 (1876);
- ―Kativu in Kirkia 15: 57 (1994).
- ―Nordal, Kativu & Poulsen in F.T.E.A., Anthericaceae: 55 (1997).
- ―Obermeyer in Bothalia 7: 698 (1962).
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Bosser, J. & al. (eds.) (1978). Flore des Mascareignes 177-188 IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
- Cameron, E.K. (2021). Updated vascular flora and vegitation of the Noises islands, Hauraki Gulf Journal, Auckland Botanical Society 76: 51-81.
- Danton, P. & Perrier, C. (2004). Liste de la Flore vasculaire de l'île Robinson Crusoe archipel Juan Fernández, Chili Journal de Botanique Société de Botanique de France 24: 67-78.
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1987). A Geographical Checklist of the Micronesian Monocotyledonae Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 20: 19-129.
- George, A.S. (ed.) (1987). Flora of Australia 45: 1-521. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Gremmen, N. & Halbertsma, R.L. (2009). Alien plants and their impact on Tristan da Cunha 2: 1-307. Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP).
- Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánes, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador: 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
- Lambdon, P. (2012). Flowering plants & ferns of St Helena: 1-624. Pisces publications for St Helena nature conservation group.
- Lee, W.T. (1996). Lineamenta Florae Koreae: 1-1688. Soul T'ukpyolsi: Ak'ademi Sojok.
- Mostaph, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
- Orchard, A.E. (ed.) (1994). Oceanic Islands 1 Flora of Australia 49: 1-681. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.
- Robertson, S.A. (1989). Flowering Plants of Seychelles: 1-327. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Sosef, M.S.M. & al. (eds.) (2010). Flore du Gabon 41: 1-75. Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
- Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mt. Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34: 1-199.
- Thaman, R.R., Fosberg, F.R., Manner, H.I. & Hassall, D.C. (1994). The Flora of Nauru Atoll Research Bulletin 392: 1-223.
- Timberlake, J.R. & Martins, E.S. (eds.) (2008). Flora Zambesiaca 13(1): 1-140. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- von Raab-Straube, E. & Raus, T. (eds.) (2018). Euro+Med-Checklist Notulae, 9 Willdenowia 48: 195-220.
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Agnew, A.D.Q. & Agnew, S., Upland Kenya Wild Flowers, ed. 2: 318 (1994).
- Baker in Fl. Cap. 6: 400 (1897).
- Baker in Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Botany 15: 329 (1876)
- J.M. Watt & Breyer-Brandwyk, Medic. & Pois. Pl. S. Afr.: 13 (1932)
- J.M. Wood, Natal Pl. 3: 279 (1902).
- Jacq. in Journ. Soc. Imp. Centr. Hort. 8: 345 (1862).
- Nordal & Thulin in Nordic Journ. Bot. 13: 262 (1993).
- Nordal in Fl. Ethiopia 6: 102 (1997).
- Oberm. in Bothalia 7: 698 (1962).
Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia
- Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R., & Celis, M. (eds.). (2020). Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia. v1.1. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Dataset/Checklist. https://doi.org/10.15472/7avdhn
- Diazgranados et al. (2021). Catalogue of plants of Colombia. Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project. In prep.
- Diazgranados, M., Allkin, B., Black N., Cámara-Leret, R., Canteiro C., Carretero J., Eastwood R., Hargreaves S., Hudson A., Milliken W., Nesbitt, M., Ondo, I., Patmore, K., Pironon, S., Turner, R., Ulian, T. (2020). World Checklist of Useful Plant Species. Produced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity.
- FPI (2021). Food Plants International. https://fms.cmsvr.com/fmi/webd/Food_Plants_World?homeurl=https://foodplantsinternational.com/plants/
- GBIF.org (2021). GBIF species matching tool. https://www.gbif.org/tools/species-lookup
- GRIN (2021). Germplasm Resources Information Network from the United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.ars-grin.gov/
- Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) v.10 (2021); http://mpns.kew.org/
-
Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible
ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
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Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
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Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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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 Living Collection Database
Common Names from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Living Collection https://www.kew.org/
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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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Kew Science Photographs
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia
ColPlantA database
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Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia
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