Dracaena viridiflora

Dracaena viridiflora
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific 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
Synonyms [2]
Pleomele viridiflora(Engl. & K.Krause) N.E.Br. Dracaena ledermanniiEngl. & K.Krause Dracaena letestuiPellegr. Dracaena mildbraediiK.Krause Dracaena vaginataHutch.

Dracaena viridiflora is a species of shrub or small plant belonging to the family Asparagaceae . ^{[2] [3]}

Description

The species grows up to 5 m high. ^[4] 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. ^[4] 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 ^[4] with flowers arranged in sessile clusters.

Distribution

The species occurs in parts of West Africa in Ghana and Nigeria then eastwards towards Cameroon and Angola. ^[4]

Uses

Traditionally, leaf extracts of the plant are used in the treatment of microbial infections and epilepsy. ^[5]

References

1. Darbyshire, I. (2004). "Dracaena viridiflora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2004: e.T46197A11036136. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T46197A11036136.en . Retrieved February 23, 2025.
2. "Dracaena viridiflora Engl. & K.Krause". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
3. "Dracaena viridiflora Engl. & K.Krause". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
4. Bos, J.J. (1984). Dracaena in West Africa (PhD thesis). Wageningen University.
5. 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.