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Re: [SANS] S.arborescens

Dear Kirk,

Sansevieria arborescens Cornu ex Gerome & Labroy (Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat.
Paris 9: 170, 172, 173, fig. 20 (1903) was originally described from live
plants sent to the Paris museum from R.P. Sacleux in Zanzibar. (mainland
Tanzania was considered part of Zanzibar at the time.)

Sansevieria bagamoyensis N.E. Brown (Kew Bulletin 1913: 306 (1913) was
described from a herbarium specimen made from a flowering stem collected by
Sacleux (# 627) near Bagamoyo, Tanzania (formerly German East Africa).

One can only wonder if the two were actually taken from the same
collection. In any case, the two names appear to represent the same
species. Pfennig (1981) considers them to be synonymous. Sansevieria
arborescens is the older name and thus the correct one.

N.E. Brown (1915) included several additional specimens from the coast of
Kenya (formerly British East Africa) under Sans. arborescens.

There is an undescribed species from 29 Km N of Mogadishu, Somalia
(Lavranos 23251) that is closely allied to Sans. arborescens.

Sansevieria arborescens and Lavranos 23251 are shrubby species with
spirally arranged flattened leaves and paniculate inflorescences and may
represent the most primative growth forum in the genus.

Sansevieria powellii N.E. Brown (Kew Bulletin 1915 (5): 18-20, fig. 1
(1915) is a curious species from Kenya that appears to be intermediate
between Sans. arborescens and Sans. robusta. Pfennig (1977) has speculated
it may be a natural hybrid between the two species.

Sansevieria caulescens N.E. Brown is also caulescent with spirally arranged
leaves but its roughened cylindrical leaves and thyrsose inflorescence
place it in the Sans. suffruticosa group. Sansevieria francisii Chahinian
(FKH 432) appears to be closely allied.

References

Brown, N.E. (1915) Sansevieria. A Monograph of All Known Species. Kew
Bulletin 1915 (5): 1-81, 23 figs.

Gerome, J. & Labroy, O. (1903) Sur La Collection De Sansevieria Des Serres
Du Museum; Tableau Synoptique Des Especes Et Notes Sur Leur Multiplication.
Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 9: 167-177. (English translation in The
Sansevieria Journal 1 (4): 59-66 (1992))

Pfennig, H. (1977) Rasenbildend bis baumartig: die Sansevierien.
Gartenpraxis 1977 (10): 506-511. (English translation in Cact. & Succ.
Journ. Gt. Brit. 41 (3): 56-60 (1979))

Pfennig, H. (1981) Zur systematik und kultur einiger Ostafrikanischer
Sansevieria-arten (Agavaceae). Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 102 (1-4): 169-179, 3 Abb.
(English translation in The Sansevieria Journal 5 (1): 25-32 (1996))

*************************************

BTW, Private forums for amateurs are a curious thing. Many questions are
asked but rarely are there any answers. Eventually, the participants leave
and go to other forums to get their questions answered. Isn't that right,
John?

Cereusly Steve

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

•Subject: Re: [SANS] S.arborescens
•From: Kirk Pamper <Kirkpamper@AOL.COM>
•Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 19:15:39 EDT
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Group,

What's the difference between S. arborescens and S. bagamoyensis?

I've got what I believe to be arborescens growing in a crowded  8" pot
(about 5 stems) relegated to a distant corner of the greenhouse where it
can't hurt me. I haven't noticed any particular sensitivity to cold, nor
have
I had any flowers.  It is a vigorous grower, but I have to keep propping
the
stems up to keep them from falling over.  I suppose that doesn't happen in
the wild, but we do the best we can in captivity.

I also have a plant I bought (for a lot of money) at Grigsby's a couple of
years ago labeled "S. powellii FC Lavranos 24534 (Somalia)".  I have
serious
doubts about this identity, since powelli, I believe, ought to resemble
arborescens, and this plant looks like a tall, fat pinguicula.

Any observations from the experts?

BTW, I'm oposed to starting a second list for amateurs.  This forum is big
enough for all of us, and I think we can ALL learn something from each
other.
IMHO.

Curiously,
Kirk
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