Sansevieria hyacinthoides
Asparagaceae FAMILY

Sansevieria hyacinthoides

Sansevieria hyacinthoides

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

African bowstring hemp is a stemless evergreen perennial plant, producing succulent, erect, rigid leaves 15 - 85cm or more long and 25 - 80mm wide from a freely-spreading, rhizomatous rootstock[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The leaves can be up to 1.2 metres long[ 454 Title Useful Fiber Plants of the World Publication Author Dodge C.R. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher USDA; Washington. Year 1897 ISBN Description A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The flowering stem grows 45 - 75cm or more tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is gathered from the wild for the fibre obtained from its leaves. This is used locally. The plant is cultivated as a fibre crop in some parts of the tropics, especially tropical America, and is also often grown as an ornamental[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. , 459 Title The Useful Plants of the Island of Guam Publication Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 9 Author Safford W.E. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Smithsonian Institute; Washington. Year 1905 ISBN Description A very comprehensive, if rather dated, guide to the plants of Guam. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeSouthern Africa - Namibia to Kenya and Tanzania, south to S. Africa.
HabitatSandy or stony soils; usually under shade of trees and bushes; termite mounds; Combretum, Mopane woodland; at elevations from 50 - 1,050 metres[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. Dry karoo, bushveld or savannah, in well drained sandy or rocky soil.