Chlorophytum
| Chlorophytum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Agavoideae |
| Genus: | Chlorophytum Ker Gawl. |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Chlorophytum (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˌklɒr[invalid input: 'ɵ']ˈfaɪtəm/)[1] is a genus of about 190-odd species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae,[2] native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia.
They grow to 10–60 cm tall, with a rosette of long, slender leaves 15–75 cm long and 0.5–2 cm broad, growing from a thick, fleshy rhizome. The flowers are small, usually white, produced on sparse panicles up to 120 cm long; in some species the panicle also bears plantlets, which take root on touching the ground.
Chlorophytum comosum, also called the Spider Plant, a native of South Africa, is a very popular houseplant in its variegated form 'Vittatum'.
Chlorophytum borivilianum is a native of India, used and grown as a medicinal plant.
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Flower of C. comosum -
Fleshy rhizomes of C. comosum
Species
The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognized 191 species as of January 2013[update]:[3]
References
- ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
- ^ Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards), Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Agavoideae
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Search for "Chlorophytum", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2013-01-07
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