Chlorophytum

Chlorophytum
	Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' – a variegated cultivar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Agavoideae
Genus:	Chlorophytum; Ker Gawl.
Type species
	Chlorophytum inornatum; Ker Gawl.
Synonyms
	Hartwegia Nees; Hollia Heynh.; Schidospermum Griseb. in W.Lechler; Asphodelopsis Steud. ex Baker; Acrospira Welw. ex Baker; Dasystachys Baker 1878, illegitimate homonym, not Oerst. 1859; Debesia Kuntze; Verdickia De Wild.;

Chlorophytum (/ˌklɒrəˈfaɪtəm, ˌklɔː-, -roʊ-/,^[3]^[4] common name spider plant), is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the century plant subfamily within the asparagus family.^[5] The plants are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia, and Asia.^[2]^[6]^[7]^[8]

They grow to 10–60 cm tall, with a rosette of long, slender leaves 15–75 cm long and 0.5–2 cm broad and thick, fleshy tuberous roots. The flowers are small, usually white, produced on sparse panicles up to 120 cm long; in some species the plants also reproduce vegetatively by means of plantlets, tiny plants that take root on touching the ground.^[3]

Chlorophytum comosum, the common Spider Plant, a native of South Africa, is a very popular houseplant especially in its variegated form 'Vittatum'. It is commonly grown in hanging pots suspended by ropes or wires in bright sunlight.^[3]

Chlorophytum borivilianum is a native of India and it is used and grown as a medicinal plant.

Flower of C. comosum
Fleshy tuberous roots of C. comosum

Species, subspecies, and varieties[]

The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognized 191 species as of January 2013:^[2]

(C.H.Wright) Nordal
Baker
- Chlorophytum affine var. affine
- Chlorophytum affine var. curviscapum (Poelln.) Hanid
(Baker) Baker
Baker
Benth. ex Baker
Engl. & K.Krause
Baker
(Baker) Kativu
Baker
(Baker) Kativu
Poelln.
(Poelln.) Nordal
H.Perrier
H.Perrier
Nordal & Thulin
R.B.Drumm.
Oberm.
Baker
Engl.
Poelln.
K.Krause
Engl. & K.Krause
Ansari, Sundararagh. & Hemadri
Dammer
Schweinf. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum blepharophyllum subsp. blepharophyllum
- Chlorophytum blepharophyllum subsp. pendulum Hoell & Nordal
- Chlorophytum blepharophyllum subsp. rubropygmaeum Bjorå & Nordal
Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau & R.R.Fern.
Baker
Baker
Hua
Poelln.
Dalzell
Hoell & Nordal
Meerts
(Baker) Kativu
(Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum cameronii var. cameronii
- Chlorophytum cameronii var. grantii (Baker) Nordal
- Chlorophytum cameronii var. purpuratum (Rendle) Govaerts
Engl. & K.Krause
(L.) Voss
Engl. & K.Krause
(Baker) Marais & Reilly
Kativu & Nordal
Poelln.
Bureau & Franch.
Baker
Bjorå & Nordal
(Poelln.) Nordal
(Baker) Engl.
Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques
(Baker) Nordal
De Wild.
(Baker) Oberm.
(Thunb.) Baker
(Kies) Nordal
(Hutch. ex Hepper) Nordal
Chlorophytum debile Baker
H.Perrier
Baker
Engl.
(Baker) H.Perrier
H.Perrier
Tamura
Chiov.
(Baker) Kativu
Nordal & Thulin
Chlorophytum filipendulum Baker
- Chlorophytum filipendulum subsp. filipendulum
- Chlorophytum filipendulum subsp. amaniense (Engl.) Nordal & A.D.Poulsen
(Baker) Baker
Schweinf. ex Baker
(Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum galpinii var. galpinii
- Chlorophytum galpinii var. matabelense (Baker) Kativu
- Chlorophytum galpinii var. norlindhii (Weim.) Kativu
(H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly
Peter ex Poelln.
Blatt.
Dalzell
Engl.
Malpure & S.R.Yadav
Baker
(Willd.) Kunth
Kativu
H.Perrier
(Baker) Marais & Reilly
J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans
Nordal & Sebsebe
Baker
Nordal & Thulin
A.D.Poulsen & Nordal
Chlorophytum holstii Engl.
H.Perrier
Cufod.
(H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly
Kativu
(Hepper) Nordal
(Baker) Nordal
(Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Dress
Chlorophytum inornatum Ker Gawl.
Craib
Sardesai, S.P.Gaikwad & S.R.Yadav
(Dinter) Kativu
Zahlbr.
Welw. ex Baker
- Chlorophytum lancifolium subsp. lancifolium
- Chlorophytum lancifolium subsp. cordatum (Engl.) A.D.Poulsen & Nordal
- Chlorophytum lancifolium subsp. togoense (Engl.) A.D.Poulsen & Nordal
Engl. & K.Krause
Chlorophytum laxum R.Br.
(C.H.Wright) Poelln.
Oberm.
(Baker) Nordal
Nordal & Thulin
Schweinf. ex Baker
Dammer
Ridl.
(A.Rich.) Asch.
Poelln.
Baker
Baker
Baker
Ridl.
Baker
Kativu
Baker
Oberm.
Schltr. ex Poelln.
H.Perrier
(Lindl.) Baker
(C.H.Wright) Poelln.
Nordal & Thulin
(Baker) Brenan
Dalzell
(Baker) Kativu
(Rendle) Kativu
A.Chev. ex Hepper
A.D.Poulsen & Nordal
Lindl.
(Baker) Marais & Reilly
Chiov.
(Poelln.) Nordal
Oberm.
Poelln.
Nordal & Thulin
Poelln.
Kativu
Nordal & Thulin
K.Krause
Engl. & K.Krause
Baker
Tesfaye & Nordal
Nordal & Thulin
Engl.
Baker
Schweinf. ex Baker
(Weim.) Kativu
- Chlorophytum pygmaeum subsp. pygmaeum
- Chlorophytum pygmaeum subsp. rhodesianum (Rendle) Kativu
(Baker) Nordal
Nordal & Thulin
(Engl. & K.Krause) Nordal
(Baker) C.Archer & Kativu
Poelln.
Bjorå & Hemp
Kunth
Engl.
(De Wild.) Kativu
Vatke
(Baker) Nordal
Baker
(Baker) Hepper
Sebsebe & Nordal
Dammer
Craib
(H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly
Baker
Baker
- Chlorophytum sparsiflorum var. sparsiflorum
- Chlorophytum sparsiflorum var. bipindense (Engl. & K.Krause) Bjorå & Nordal
(Baker) Kativu
Nordal
Baker
(K.Krause) Weim.
H.Perrier
(Baker) Kativu
Baker
(Baker) Marais & Reilly
Bardot-Vaucoulon
Peter ex Poelln.
(L.f.) Baker
(Baker) Kativu
(Baker) Nordal
(Aiton) Kunth
(Baker) H.Perrier
Chlorophytum tuberosum (Roxb.) Baker
Engl.
Kativu
Baker
Engl.
Kunth
K.Krause
(Engl.) Marais & Reilly
Bjorå & Nordal
(Cufod.) Nordal
Nordal & A.D.Poulsen

References[]

^ Ker Gawler, John Bellenden 1807. Botanical Magazine 27: plate 1071 + 2 subsequent text pages description in Latin, commentary in English; full-page color illustration of Chlorophytum inornatum
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Search for "Chlorophytum", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2013-01-07
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
^ "Chlorophytum". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House. Retrieved 2016-01-23.
^ Stevens, P.F. (2001–2012), Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Agavoideae
^ Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 205 吊兰属 diao lan shu Chlorophytum Ker Gawler, Bot. Mag. 27: t. 1071. 1807.
^ South African National Biodiversity Institute, Red List of South African Plants, search for Chlorophytum
^ Atlas of Living Australia, Chlorophytum

External links[]

Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Chlorophytum". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.

[1] Ker Gawler, John Bellenden 1807. Botanical Magazine 27: plate 1071 + 2 subsequent text pages description in Latin, commentary in English; full-page color illustration of Chlorophytum inornatum

[WCSP-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Search for "Chlorophytum", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2013-01-07

[jessie-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607

[4] "Chlorophytum". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House. Retrieved 2016-01-23.

[5] Stevens, P.F. (2001–2012), Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Agavoideae

[6] Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 205 吊兰属 diao lan shu Chlorophytum Ker Gawler, Bot. Mag. 27: t. 1071. 1807.

[7] South African National Biodiversity Institute, Red List of South African Plants, search for Chlorophytum

[8] Atlas of Living Australia, Chlorophytum

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Chlorophytum

Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' – a variegated cultivar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Agavoideae
Genus:	Chlorophytum Ker Gawl.^[1]
Type species
Chlorophytum inornatum Ker Gawl.
Synonyms^[2]
Hartwegia Nees Hollia Heynh. Schidospermum Griseb. in W.Lechler Asphodelopsis Steud. ex Baker Acrospira Welw. ex Baker Dasystachys Baker 1878, illegitimate homonym, not Oerst. 1859 Debesia Kuntze Verdickia De Wild.