332 



CXXXV. HiEMODORACEiE (BAKEr). 



[Sansevieria. 



1. SANSEVIERIA, Thunb. ; Bonth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. G79. 



Perianth corolline, with a cylindrical tube and 6 linear lobes. 

 Stamens G, inserted at the base of the perianth-lobes ; filaments fili- 

 form, nearly as long as the lobes; anthers linear-oblong, dorsifixed, 

 versatile, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior, globose, 3-celled ; 

 ovules solitary, erect ; style long, filiform ; stigma capitate. Fruit 

 membranous, soon bursting. Seeds 1-3, globose ; testa lax, fleshy ; 

 embryo straight, placed near the base of the albumen. — Leaves in 

 clusters from a creeping rootstock, coriaceous, containing abundance of 

 useful fibre. Peduncle stout, with several empty bracts; racemes 

 dense, with several flowers to each bract, and pedicels articulated near 

 the middle. Flowers greenish- white. 



Species about 12. Also in South Africa, Mascarene Isles, and Tropical Asia. 

 Leaves comparatively thin, flat except at the base. 

 Perianth |^-Lin. long. 



Leaves oblanceolate, a foot long . . . . 1. S. senegamhica. 



Leaves lanceolate 8 ft. long . 

 Perianth 1^-2 in. long 

 Perianth 2^—3 in. long 

 Perianth 4-5 in. long 

 Leaves thicker, nearly flat in the upper half 

 Leaves rounded on the back, deeply channelled down the 

 face. 

 Leaves 1^ ft. long, \-\ in. diam. . . . . 



Leaves 5-6 ft. long, 1^ in. diam. . . . . 



Leaves terete. 



Leaves with a small facial groove .... 



Leaves without any facial groove except at the base. 

 Primordial leaves flat ...... 



Primordial leaves terete ..... 



2. S. nilotica. 



3. S. guineensis. 



4. S. hracteata. 



5. S. longiflora. 



6. S. KirJcii. 



7. S. Volkensii. 



8. S. Ehrenbergii. 



9. S. Schimperi. 



10. 

 11. 



S. cylindrica. 

 S. sulcata. 



Doubtful native of Tropical Africa 



. 12. S. grandicuspis. 



1. S. senegambica. Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. 548. Leaves 

 oblanceolate, acute, nearly flat, rigidly coriaceous, 1 ft. long, 2 in. broad 

 above the middle, narrowed to a base J in. broad, not at all margined 

 with red. Peduncle with raceme overtopping the leaves; pedicels 

 3-6-nate, ^-J in. long, articulated at the middle ; bracts small, ovate, 

 white, scariose. Perianth |-1 in. long; tube cylindrical, very slender; 

 lobes as long as the tube. Stamens as long as the perianth-lobes. 

 Style finally exserted. 



Upper Guinea. Senegal, Ferrottet, 782 ! Richard^ 72 ! 



2. S. nilotica. Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. 548. Rootstock 

 wide-creeping, as thick as a man's finger. Leaves lanceolate, flat, 3 ft. 

 long, I J in. broad at the middle, narrowed gradually to the base and 

 apex, spotted with white, apparently less rigid than in S. guineensiSy 

 without any red intermarginal line. Racemes lax, 1-1 J ft. long; 

 bracts small, lanceolate ; flowers 3-9 in a cluster ; pedicels \-\ in. long, 

 articulated above the middle. Perianth white tinged with green. 



