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VARIATION IN SANSEVIERIAS

VARIATION IN SANSEVIERIAS

Stephen Jankalski

Many have commented on the variability in certain species. The potential
for variation and its significance makes better sense when we look at the
bigger picture. I must admit that the following statements are only my
personal opinions and not to be interpreted as the final word in such
matters.

If we consider only Sansevieria trifasciata as an example, it becomes
obvious how rapidly mutations can appear in plants. From the original
introduction of the species into cultivation in the late 1700's and the
variegated 'Laurentii' in the early 1900's, there are now a large number of
cultivars that vary in leaf shape, coloring and variegation. The most
remarkable fact to consider is that most of these originated from mutations
in vegetatively propagated plants and not ones grown from seed. If plants
had been selected from those grown from seed, the number of cultivars might
easily far exceed the variation now available. The potential of creating
new and interesting cultivars from the interbreeding of existing cultivars
could be unlimited. It is true that the variegates are chimeral in origin
and not necessarily heritable but several that can be propagated true from
leaf cuttings may have potentially viable genetic traits that can be useful
in the selection of new cultivars. So far, it appears that nobody has taken
on the challenge of selective breeding.

If you consider the millions of years that the various species have existed
in the wild and have spread and reproduced both from seeds and vegetatively
in that relatively vast time, it should not be surprising that distinctive
races of the same plants have appeared due to selection and can be
recognized. Many of these have changed enough in leaf and floral characters
to be easily recognized as distinct species but others have been relatively
minor changes that may be better considered varieties or just cultivars.

Remember that the plants that become popular in cultivation have done so
because they are aesthetically pleasing and may not necessarily be
representative of the range of variation of the species as it occurs in the
wild. Such is the nature of cultivars. Cultivars can originate equally from
plants selected from plants grown in cultivation or from plants selected
from a wild population.

Some of the synonymy in certain species have resulted from the very narrow
species concepts of N.E. Brown. Much of the material he saw as herbarium
specimens, illustrations or living plants actually represented what now can
be interpreted as single clones and only a small part of the variation
possible in nature. Most recent reviewers have recognized much broader
concepts of the species as they occur in the wild. Some of Brown's species
and varieties could now be better interpreted as cultivars. Some of the
earlier named species were described from localities that seemed to be
remote from one another but additional collections have since linked them.
There also was a tendency at one time to rename a species that had been
found in different countries but it turns out that plants do not recognize
political boundaries.

There are several distinctive plants in collections that are presently
recognized as cultivars or grown under collector's numbers that may prove
to be valid species. The valid naming of new species is a time consuming
process that requires the preservation of a flowering type specimen as well
as a Latin diagnosis. That many Sansevierias are rather shy to flower only
make the process even more time consuming.

There are a number of invalid "Latinized" names for some species widely
grown also. Many of them have proven to be unnecessary renaming of validly
named species. Several of these have appeared in Morgenstern's book and may
be a topic for future discussion. Some of these invalid names have already
been discussed in the forum. Once their true identities can be determined,
most of these names could be discarded.
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