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Re: [SANS] Sanseveria dawei

I am going to copy this right out of the NE Brown #46. Pg.67

S. Dawei Stapf in Journ. Linn. Soc.vol. xxxvii, p. 529 (see Plates). Stemless,
with
a creeping rootstock up to 1 inch or more thick.  Leaves of adult plants 2-3
to a growth, ascending or suberect, smooth above, slightly rough beneath, 2-5
ft. long, 2 1/4-1 1/2 in. (or more?) broad, elongate-lanceolate, tapering from
above the middle upwards to an acute apex and downwards into a short or long
concave-channelled petiole or sometimes almost without a petiole, uniformly
dull deep green and somewhat glaucous on both sides (Dawe), but in living
plants seen, variegated with pale green on both sides when young, margins
reddish-brown.  Flower-stem 1 1/2 -
2 1/2 ft. high, with 5-6 ovate or lanceolate acuminate membranous white
sheaths on
the basal third, and a rather compact spike-like raceme of flower-clusters
above.

Bracts 1/3 to 2/3 in. long, the secondary being about half as large as the
primary and conspicuous, ovate or ovate-oblong, acute or subobtuse, greenish
or tinged with dull purplish.  Flowers 3-4 in cluster, white; pedicels  2-3
lin. long, jointed close under the flower; tube 3/4-1 inches long;  lobes
2/3-7/8 inches long.

Uganda.  Busiro, Dawe, 109! Entebbe, Matron, 3!

Described from the type specimens and living plants.  There are also specimens
at Kew collected between Voi and the Taita Hills in British East Africa
(Grenfell 2 & 12), and another received from the Imperial Institute under No.
21342 as the "Tour. fibre plant from Uganda."  A living plant at Kew has
leaves green or bluish-green on both sides without markings when full grown,
but when young they are sometimes irregularly marked with pale green spots or
bands and usually with a distinct glaucous "bloom" they vary from 2 1/2 up to
4 3/4 in. in breadth.  The flower-stem is
of a lighter green than the leaves, with indications of being tinged with
purple where
exposed to the sun.  Bracts up to 1/3 in. long, reflexed or very spreading,
ovate-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, acute. Tube of the flower about 1 1/6
in. long; lobes about 1 in. long.  In all other particulars it agrees with S.
Dawei.
The photographs of this species have been kindly sent by Mr. T.D. Maitland,
Dictrict Agricultural Officer, Uganda, and were taken from plants growing in a
native compound.

I purchased this plant as "Mason Congo" in 1978 and 27 years later Juan came
over
and reidentified it as S.Dawei.   Respectively submitted Norma Lewis
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