Dracaena viridiflora is a shrub or small plant belonging to the family Asparagaceae.

Dracaena viridiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Nolinoideae
Genus: Dracaena
Species:
D. viridiflora
Binomial name
Dracaena viridiflora
Engl. & K.Krause

Description

edit

The species grows up to 5 m high.[1] Its leaves are evenly distributed along the branches. They tend to be oblong to lanceolate in outline and up to 25 cm long and 2 cm wide.[1] The surfaces of the leaves are dark green and shiny above but paler beneath; the apex is acute while sheathing commonly occurs at the base of the leaves. The inflorescence is usually terminal but less commonly axillary and up to 9 cm long[1] with flowers arranged in sessile clusters.

Distribution

edit

The species occurs in parts of West Africa in Ghana and Nigeria then eastwards towards Cameroon and Angola.[1]

Uses

edit

Traditionally, leaf extracts of the plant are used in the treatment of microbial infections and epilepsy.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Bos, J.J. (1984). Dracaena in West Africa (PhD thesis). Wageningen University.
  2. ^ Teponno, Rémy Bertrand; Dzoyem, Jean Paul; Nono, Raymond Ngansop; Kauhl, Ulrich; Sandjo, Louis P.; Tapondjou, Léon Azefack; Bakowsky, Udo; Opatz, Till (2017-06-14). "Cytotoxicity of Secondary Metabolites from Dracaena viridiflora Engl & Krause and their Semisynthetic Analogues" (PDF). Records of Natural Products. 11 (5): 421–430. doi:10.25135/rnp.54.17.03.050.