Sansevieria is a genus of herbaceous, perennial, stoloniferous, and rhizomatous plants belonging to the Asparagaceae family. Popularly known as lizard's tail, St. George's sword, king's sword or mother-in-law's tongue, they make up more than 120 species native to Asia and Africa..
These are acaule plants made up of erect, lanceolate, fleshy and leathery leaves, arranged distinctively on a robust rhizome. The bisexual and actinomorphic flowers are grouped in panicle-shaped inflorescences, the fruit is a subglobose berry with fleshy pulp.
The species of the genus Sansevieria They are easy-care, rustic plants, grown as ornamental plants for indoor and gardening. They reproduce easily by plant division, tolerate hot and dry environments, low temperatures, little solar radiation and lack of irrigation..
In this genus there are basically two types of plants, those with long lanceolate leaves and those with short rosette leaves. Among the main species of commercial importance are Sansevieria cylindrica, Sansevieria grandis, Sansevieria hyacinthoides, Sansevieria liberica, Sansevieria metallica, Sansevieria scabrifolia Y Sansevieria trifasciata.
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Herbaceous plants with a very short or acaulescent stem that develop from a robust rhizome. The leaves are arranged in the form of a rosette until they reach, depending on the species, from 10-15 cm to 140-150 cm in height.
The firm and erect leaves are flat, cylindrical or concave, short or long, with a smooth and leathery texture, and a fleshy or succulent appearance. They develop from a basal rosette, being of different shades of green, with longitudinal yellow lines or transverse spots of grayish tones..
The greenish-white flowers are made up of six tepals united at the base, which form a cylindrical where the androecium and stamens are located. The flowers are grouped in clusters or elongated spikes on a white articulated peduncle that emerges from the leaf axils..
The fruit is a fleshy berry with reddish or orange tones when ripe. Inside the dark brown seeds are located.
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Liliopsida
- Subclass: Liliidae
- Order: Asparagales
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Subfamily: Nolinoideae
- Gender: Sansevieria Thunb.
- Sansevieria cylindrica: plant with elongated, cylindrical and upright leaves, dark green with small glaucous spots.
- Sansevieria ehrenbergii: the rounded leaves emerge alternately with the flattened sides, they are dark green with parallel lines of darker shades.
- S. grandis: epiphytic plant with short leaves arranged in a rosette, with dark green streaks.
- S. hyacinthoides: lanceolate leaves with hardened orange-red margins. The surface of the leaflet shows alternating pale green and dark green bands.
- Sansevieria liberica: short-leaved plant with white transverse bands and reddish margins.
- Sansevieria metallica: medium-sized ascending leaf plant densely streaked white with a metallic sheen.
- S. scabrifolia: erect leaves 15 cm high, grayish green color and serrated margins with a thin white band.
- S. stuckyi: cylindrical leaves, thicker at the base than the apex with a lateral canal. It is of a fleshy consistency of dark green color with light bands.
- Sansevieria trifasciata: herbaceous plant with fleshy, sessile, long or short leaves, mottled green, gray or white and yellow edges.
- Acyntha Medik. (1786).
- Sanseverinia Petagna (1787).
- Salmia Cav. (1795).
- Sansevieria: the name of the genus was designated by the Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828), in honor of the Neapolitan soldier and researcher Raimondo di Sangro, seventh prince of Sansevero.
The species of the genus Sansevieria They are native to western and southern Africa, distributed among Angola, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. Currently it constitutes a cosmopolitan crop, due to its easy vegetative propagation, ornamental use and medicinal properties..
As ornamental plants they require a temperature range of 20-30 ºC for their optimal growth, however, they tolerate occasional temperatures of 7-10 ºC. Although it supports shady environments, it requires continuous lighting during the day, so values between 10,000-20,000 lux favor its development..
They adapt to various edaphic conditions, although they prefer loamy, fertile, loose and well-drained soils, with a pH between 6-7. Its water requirements depend on environmental conditions and soil texture, as a general rule at lower temperature and luminosity, irrigation should be less frequent..
The species of the genus Sansevieria They are used as ornamental plants that adapt to different conditions, especially closed environments. Indeed, it is an easy-to-propagate and low-maintenance crop, ideal for growing in pots or beds in parks and gardens..
The species Sansevieria trifasciata It is considered a purifying plant for indoor environments. Scientific studies have determined that it has the ability to eliminate toxic compounds from the air in closed environments, such as benzene and formaldehyde.
Regarding its medicinal properties, of all species of the genus Sansevieria, just the species Sansevieria trifasciata It is used in herbalism. The presence of certain secondary metabolites gives it anti-inflammatory, healing, cleansing properties and helps regulate blood glucose levels..
Despite its low level of toxicity, in some people it can cause salivation, nausea and headache. In certain domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, its ingestion can cause intestinal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, which require veterinary care..
The reproduction of the different species of Sansevieria can be done by plant division, leaf cuttings and through seeds.
The rhizome of these plants is easily divisible, which makes it possible to obtain specimens with the same characteristics as the mother plant. The technique consists of removing the plant from the pot or directly from the ground, and using a sharp tool to cut pieces with leaves and roots.
Similarly, suckers that commonly sprout from the rhizome can be cut off. The pieces are sown in pots until they take root or directly in the final field.
Propagation technique under greenhouse conditions that allows to quickly obtain a large number of seedlings. The technique consists of obtaining 5-6 cm long pieces of leaves from healthy and vigorous plants.
The pieces are impregnated with powdered phytohormones and placed in rooting beds under controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and light. In suitable conditions, the pieces begin to generate roots after 30-45 days, later they are transplanted into pots until their development is complete..
Seed production is low in most species of the genus Sansevieria, however, in case of fruiting they can be used as a means of propagation. The seeds obtained directly from the plant are sown in a vermiculite substrate with constant humidity, after 20-25 days germination begins.
Under adverse conditions of high environmental and substrate humidity, the appearance of certain fungal or bacterial diseases that affect the rhizome or the leaves is common. Certain phytopathogenic soil fungi of the genera Fusarium or Phytophthora can cause rhizome rot, leaf wilting, and general weakness.
At the foliage level, the highest incidence is related to phytopathogenic fungi of the genera Botrytis, Powdery mildew Y Gloesporium. Symptoms appear as grayish powders that cover the leaves or circular and irregular spots of brown and brown tones, which in most cases cause the death of the leaves..
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