Dracaena surculosa
Habit
Close-up of flower
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Nolinoideae
Genus: Dracaena
Species:
D. surculosa
Binomial name
Dracaena surculosa
Synonyms[1]
  • Dracaena godseffiana Sander ex Mast.
  • Dracaena interrupta Harv. ex G.Don
  • Nemampsis ternifolia Raf.
  • Pleomele godseffiana (Sander ex Mast.) N.E.Br.

Dracaena surculosa, called the gold dust dracaena and spotted dracaena, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to west and west-central tropical Africa, from Guinea to the Republic of the Congo.[2][1] Its cultivar 'Florida Beauty' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3]

Subtaxa

The following varieties are accepted:[1]

  • Dracaena surculosa var. maculata Hook.f.
  • Dracaena surculosa var. surculosa

Description

A branched shrub or small tree that commonly grows less than 4 m in height but occasionally reaches 8 m, it has reddish brown tuberous roots that sometimes produce canelike shoots that are sometimes clad in thin greenish to white phrophylls.[4] Leaves are concolorous or variageted, glossy bright to dark green above and sometimes infused with white to yellowish dots; they are arranged in pseudowhorls with margins that are sometimes rough or smooth, apex is acuminate and base is cunneate.[4] Leaflets can reach up to 20 cm long and 7 cm wide and are elliptic in outline. Flowers are greenish to white. Fruits is orange to bright red in colour, globose and up to 2 cm in diameter.[4]

Distribution and habitat

Occurs naturally in West Africa from Guinea westwards to Cameroon.[5]

Uses

Commonly cultivated in botanical gardens and used as an ornamental plant.[5]

Media related to Dracaena surculosa at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dracaena surculosa Lindl". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Dracaena surculosa gold dust dracaena". The Royal Horticultural Society. 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021. Other common names; spotted dracaena
  3. ↑ "Dracaena surculosa 'Florida Beauty' (v) spotted dracaena 'Florida Beauty'". The Royal Horticultural Society. 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Bos, J. 1984. Dracaena in West Africa, Wageningen: Agricultural University Wageningen.
  5. 1 2 Mwachala, Geoffrey (2005). Systematics and ecology of Dracaena L. (Ruscaceae) in Central, East and Southern Africa (PhD thesis). Universität Koblenz-Landau.


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