Dracaena (plant)


Dracaena is a genus of about 120 species of trees and succulent shrubs. In the APG IV classification system, it is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae. It has also formerly been separated into the family Dracaenaceae or placed in the Agavaceae.
The name dracaena is derived from the romanized form of the Ancient Greek δράκαινα – drakaina, "female dragon".
The majority of the species are native to Africa, southern Asia through to northern Australia, with two species in tropical Central America. The segregate genus Pleomele is now generally included in Dracaena. The genus Sansevieria is closely related, and has recently been synonymized under Dracaena in the Kubitzki system.

Description

Species of Dracaena have a secondary thickening meristem in their trunk, termed Dracaenoid thickening by some authors, which is quite different from the thickening meristem found in dicotyledonous plants. This characteristic is shared with members of the Agavoideae and Xanthorrhoeoideae among other members of the Asparagales.
Dracaena species can be classified in two growth types: treelike dracaenas, which have aboveground stems with a single cluster of leaves at the end of each stem and rhizomatous dracaenas, which have underground rhizomes and leaves on the surface.
Many species of Dracaena are kept as houseplants due to tolerance of lower light and sparse watering.

Species

Plants of the World Online currently includes:

Ornamental

Some shrubby species, such as D. fragrans, D. surculosa, D. marginata, and D. sanderiana, are popular as houseplants. Many of these are toxic to pets, though not humans, according to the ASPCA among others. Rooted stem cuttings of D. sanderiana are widely marketed in Australia, the US and the UK as "lucky bamboo", although only superficially resembling true bamboos.

Other

A naturally occurring bright red resin, dragon's blood, is collected from D. draco and, in ancient times, from D. cinnabari. Modern dragon's blood is however more likely to be from the unrelated Daemonorops rattan palms. It also has a social functions in marking graves, sacred sites and farm plots in many African societies