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''Dracaena'' () is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of about 120
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...
of
tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s and
succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from tree ...
s. The formerly accepted genera ''
Pleomele Pleomele is used a common name for several cultivated ornamental plants and may refer to: * Species of ''Pleomele'' (genus), a former plant genus in the family Ruscaceae now included in '' Dracaena'' * ''Dracaena reflexa ''Dracaena reflexa'' (co ...
'' and '' Sansevieria'' are now included in ''Dracaena''. In the APG IV classification system, it is placed in the
family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Asparagaceae Asparagaceae, known as the asparagus family, is a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots. The family name is based on the edible garden asparagus, '' Asparagus officinalis''. Those who live in the temperate ...
, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae). It has also formerly been separated (sometimes with ''
Cordyline ''Cordyline'' is a genus of about 15 species of woody monocotyledonous flowering plants in family Asparagaceae, subfamily Lomandroideae. The subfamily has previously been treated as a separate family Laxmanniaceae, or Lomandraceae. Other authors ...
'') into the family Dracaenaceae or placed in the Agavaceae (now Agavoideae). The name ''dracaena'' is derived from the romanized form of the
Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic pe ...
– ''drakaina'', "female dragon". The majority of the species are
native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...
to Africa, southern Asia through to northern Australia, with two species in tropical Central America.


Description

Species of ''Dracaena'' have a secondary thickening
meristem The meristem is a type of tissue found in plants. It consists of undifferentiated cells (meristematic cells) capable of cell division. Cells in the meristem can develop into all the other tissues and organs that occur in plants. These cells conti ...
in their trunk, termed Dracaenoid thickening by some authors, which is quite different from the thickening meristem found in
dicot The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, ...
yledonous 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 (''
Dracaena fragrans ''Dracaena fragrans'' (cornstalk dracaena), is a flowering plant species that is native throughout tropical Africa, from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d'Ivoire and southwest to Angola, growing in upland regions at altitude.JSTOR Plant ...
'', ''
Dracaena draco ''Dracaena draco'', the Canary Islands dragon tree or drago, is a subtropical tree in the genus '' Dracaena'', native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, western Morocco, and is thought to be introduced in the Azores. Its closest living ...
'', '' Dracaena cinnabari''), which have aboveground stems that branch from nodes after flowering, or if the growth tip is severed, and rhizomatous dracaenas ('' Dracaena trifasciata'', '' Dracaena angolensis''), which have underground
rhizomes In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow ...
and leaves on the surface (ranging from straplike to cylindrical). Many species of ''Dracaena'' are kept as houseplants due to tolerance of lower light and sparse watering. File:Socotra dragon tree.JPG, '' Dracaena cinnabari'' File:Dracaena draco (L.) L.jpg , ''
Dracaena draco ''Dracaena draco'', the Canary Islands dragon tree or drago, is a subtropical tree in the genus '' Dracaena'', native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, western Morocco, and is thought to be introduced in the Azores. Its closest living ...
'' File:Dracaena ellenbeckiana - Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo - Gran Canaria.jpg, '' Dracaena ellenbeckiana'' File:Colpfl26.jpg, ''
Dracaena fragrans ''Dracaena fragrans'' (cornstalk dracaena), is a flowering plant species that is native throughout tropical Africa, from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d'Ivoire and southwest to Angola, growing in upland regions at altitude.JSTOR Plant ...
'' File:Dracaena reflexa.JPG, ''
Dracaena reflexa ''Dracaena reflexa'' (commonly called song of India or song of Jamaica) is a tree native to Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant and houseplant, valued for its ...
'' File:LuckyBamboo 2005 SeanMcClean.jpg, '' Dracaena sanderiana'' File:Dracaena surculosa.jpg, '' Dracaena surculosa'' File:Dracaena tamaranae1.jpg, ''
Dracaena tamaranae ''Dracaena tamaranae'', or drago de Gran Canaria, is a species of endemic plants of the island of Gran Canaria, related to the dragon tree, ''Dracaena draco'', and other species of '' Dracaena'' from East Africa Africa is the world's s ...
'' - native to
Gran Canaria Gran Canaria (, ; ), also Grand Canary Island, is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa which is part of Spain. the island had a population of that ...
File:Snake_Plant_(Sansevieria_trifasciata)_with_fruit_1.jpg , '' Dracaena trifasciata''


Species

''
Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...
'' currently includes: * '' Dracaena acaulis'' Baker * '' Dracaena acutissima'' Hua * '' Dracaena adamii'' Hepper * '' Dracaena aethiopica'' (Thunb.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena afromontana ''Dracaena afromontana'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to the highlands of eastern tropical Africa; South Sudan (Imatong Mountains), Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ken ...
'' Mildbr. * '' Dracaena aletriformis'' (Haw.) Bos ( syn. ''D. latifolia'') * '' Dracaena americana'' Donn.Sm. – Central America dragon tree * '' Dracaena angolensis'' (Welw. ex Carrière) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena angustifolia'' (Medik.) Roxb. ( syn. ''D. australasica'', ''D. ensiformis'', ''D. fruticosa'', ''D. linearifolia'', ''D. menglaensis'') * '' Dracaena arborea'' (Willd.) Link * '' Dracaena arborescens'' (Cornu ex Gérôme & Labroy) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena ascendens'' (L.E.Newton) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena aubryana'' Brongn. ex É.Morren ( syn. ''D. thalioides'') * '' Dracaena aubrytiana'' (Carrière) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena aurea'' H.Mann * '' Dracaena bacularis'' (Pfennig ex A.Butler & Jankalski) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena bagamoyensis'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena ballyi'' (L.E.Newton) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena bhitalae Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Webb & Newton) Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * '' Dracaena bicolor'' Hook. * ''
Dracaena borneensis Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Merr.) Jankalski * '' Dracaena brachyphylla'' Kurz * ''
Dracaena braunii ''Dracaena braunii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It was named after the German collector Braun, Johannes M. (1859-1893). Most plants named ''Dracaena braunii'' in cultivation are '' Dracaena sanderiana'', a plant w ...
'' Engl. ( syn. ''D. litoralis'') * '' Dracaena breviflora'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena bueana'' Engl. * '' Dracaena bugandana'' Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena bukedea'' Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * '' Dracaena burdettii'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena burmanica Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena bushii'' Damen * '' Dracaena calocephala'' Bos * ''
Dracaena cambodiana Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Pierre ex Gagnep. * ''
Dracaena camerooniana Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Baker * ''
Dracaena canaliculata Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Carrière) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena cantleyi'' Baker * ''
Dracaena caulescens Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena cerasifera'' Hua * '' Dracaena chahinianii'' (Webb & Myklebust) Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * '' Dracaena chiniana'' I.M.Turner * '' Dracaena cincta'' Baker * '' Dracaena cinnabari'' Balf.f. – Socotra dragon tree * '' Dracaena cochinchinensis'' (Lour.) S.C.Chen ( syn. ''D. loureiroi'') * '' Dracaena concinna'' Kunth * '' Dracaena conferta'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena congoensis'' Hua * '' Dracaena conspicua'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena cristula'' W.Bull * ''
Dracaena cubensis Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Vict. * '' Dracaena curtisii'' Ridl. * ''
Dracaena cuspidata Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Ridl. * ''
Dracaena dawei Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Stapf) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena deremensis'' (L.) Ker Gawl. (syn. ''D. fragrans'') – striped dracaena, compact dracaena, corn plant, cornstalk dracaena * ''
Dracaena dhofarica Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: * Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (T.A.McCoy & Lavranos) Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * '' Dracaena dooneri'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena downsii'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena draco ''Dracaena draco'', the Canary Islands dragon tree or drago, is a subtropical tree in the genus '' Dracaena'', native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, western Morocco, and is thought to be introduced in the Azores. Its closest living ...
'' (L.) L. – Canary Islands dragon tree * '' Dracaena dumetescens'' (L.E.Newton) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena ebracteata'' (Cav.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena eilensis ''Dracaena eilensis'', synonym ''Sansevieria eilensis'', is a xerophytic CAM succulent native to a small region of Somalia near the town of Eyl. The species was collected in 1973 by John Lavranos. Description ''Dracaena eilensis'' is a slow ...
'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena ellenbeckiana'' Engl. - Kedong Dracaena (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda) * '' Dracaena elliptica'' Thunb. & Dalm. ( syn. ''D. gracilis'', ''D. javanica'', ''D. maculata'') * '' Dracaena erythraeae'' (Mattei) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena fasciata'' (Cornu ex Gérôme & Labroy) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena fernaldii'' (H.St.John) Jankalski * '' Dracaena finlaysonii'' Baker * ''
Dracaena floribunda Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Baker * '' Dracaena fontanesiana'' Schult. & Schult.f. * '' Dracaena forbesii'' (O.Deg.) Jankalski * '' Dracaena forskaliana'' (Schult. & Schult.f.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena fragrans ''Dracaena fragrans'' (cornstalk dracaena), is a flowering plant species that is native throughout tropical Africa, from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d'Ivoire and southwest to Angola, growing in upland regions at altitude.JSTOR Plant ...
'' (L.) Ker Gawl. (syn. ''D. deremensis'') – striped dracaena, compact dracaena, corn plant, cornstalk dracaena * '' Dracaena francisii'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena frequens Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena glomerata'' Baker * ''
Dracaena goldieana ''Dracaena goldieana'', or queen of Dracaenas, is a tropical shrub in the genus '' Dracaena'', native to Central Africa and Nigeria. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, valued for its richly variegated foliage. Description ''Dracae ...
'' Bullen ex Mast. & T.Moore * '' Dracaena gracillima'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena granulata Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Hook.f. * '' Dracaena griffithii'' Regel * '' Dracaena haemanthoides'' Bos ex Damen * ''
Dracaena halapepe ''Dracaena halapepe'', synonym ''Pleomele halapepe'', the royal hala pepe, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the island of Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-large ...
'' (H.St.John) Jankalski * '' Dracaena halemanuensis'' Jankalski * ''
Dracaena hallii ''Dracaena hallii'' is a species of succulent plant native to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Limpopo Province of South Africa. The species was named for Harry Hall, formerly the curator of succulents at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape T ...
'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena hanningtonii'' Baker ( syn. ''D. oldupai'') * '' Dracaena hargeisana'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena hewittii'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena hokouensis'' G.Z.Ye * '' Dracaena hosei'' (Ridl.) Jankalski * ''
Dracaena humiflora Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (D.J.Richards) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena hyacinthoides Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (L.) Mabb. * ''
Dracaena impressivenia Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Yu H.Yan & H.J.Guo * '' Dracaena itumei'' (Mbugua) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena jayniana'' Wilkin & Suksathan * '' Dracaena kaweesakii'' Wilkin & Suksathan * '' Dracaena kirkii'' Baker * '' Dracaena konaensis'' (H.St.John) Jankalski * '' Dracaena kupensis'' Mwachala, Cheek, Eb.Fisch. & Muasya * ''
Dracaena laevifolia Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (R.H.Webb & L.E.Newton) Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * '' Dracaena lancea'' Thunb. & Dalm. * ''
Dracaena lancifolia Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Ridl.) Jankalski * '' Dracaena lavranii'' (Webb & Myklebust) Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * ''
Dracaena laxissima Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Engl. * ''
Dracaena liberica Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Gérôme & Labroy) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena longiflora Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Sims) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena longifolia'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena longistyla'' (la Croix) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena lunatifolia'' (L.E.Newton) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena maingayi'' Hook.f. * '' Dracaena malawiana'' Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena mannii ''Dracaena mannii'' Baker or small-leaved dragon tree, is a small to medium-sized tree, though recorded up to 30 m tall with stem to 2 m in diameter in Cameroon and Gabon. It occurs from Senegal to Angola along the African west coast, is widesp ...
'' Baker * '' Dracaena marina'' Bos ex Damen * '' Dracaena masoniana'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena mokoko Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Mwachala & Cheek * '' Dracaena multiflora'' Warb. ex P.Sarasin & Sarasin * '' Dracaena newtoniana'' (T.G.Forrest) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena nilotica Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Baker) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena nitens'' Welw. ex Baker * '' Dracaena nitida'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena novoguineensis'' Gibbs * '' Dracaena nyangensis'' Pellegr. * ''
Dracaena ombet ''Dracaena ombet'', commonly known as Gabal Elba dragon tree, is a species of plant belonging to the Asparagaceae family, formerly included in the Ruscaceae. It is found in northeastern Africa and the western Arabian Peninsula. Description It ...
'' Heuglin ex Kotschy & Peyr. – Gabal Elba dragon tree * '' Dracaena ovata'' Ker Gawl. * '' Dracaena pachyphylla'' Kurz * '' Dracaena parva'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena parviflora Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Baker * ''
Dracaena patens Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena pearsonii ''Dracaena pearsonii'' is a species of succulent plant native to Southern Africa. This species is in a complex of plants including '' Dracaena stuckyi'' and ''Dracaena angolensis'' that are characterized by their cylindrical leaves that grow upri ...
'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena pedicellata'' (la Croix) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena penangensis Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena pendula'' Ridl. * ''
Dracaena perrotii Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (O.Warburg) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena perrottetii Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Baker * '' Dracaena pethera'' Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena petiolata Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Hook.f. * ''
Dracaena pfisteri Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (D.J.Richards) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena phanerophlebia'' Baker * '' Dracaena phillipsiae'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena phrynioides Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Hook. * '' Dracaena pinguicula'' (P.R.O.Bally) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena porteri'' Baker * '' Dracaena powellii'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena powysii'' (L.E.Newton) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena praetermissa'' Bos * ''
Dracaena purpurea Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' (Ridl.) Jankalski * '' Dracaena raffillii'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena reflexa ''Dracaena reflexa'' (commonly called song of India or song of Jamaica) is a tree native to Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant and houseplant, valued for its ...
'' Lam. – Pleomele dracaena or "Song of India" ** ''D. reflexa'' var. ''marginata'' ( syn. ''D. marginata'') – red-edged dracaena or Madagascar dragon tree * '' Dracaena rockii'' (H.St.John) Jankalski * '' Dracaena rosulata'' Mwachala & Eb.Fisch. * '' Dracaena roxburghiana'' (Schult. & Schult.f.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena sambiranensis'' (H.Perrier) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena sanderiana'' Engl. – ribbon dracaena, marketed as "lucky bamboo" * '' Dracaena sarawakensis'' (W.W.Sm.) Jankalski * '' Dracaena scabra'' Bos * '' Dracaena scimitariformis'' (D.J.Richards) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena senegambica'' (Baker) Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena serpenta Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena serrulata ''Dracaena serrulata'' also called the Arabian or Yemen Dragon Tree is a distinctive tree reaching around 5m tall with a single trunk. It is found in the dry escarpment mountains of southwestern Arabia from Oman, South Yemen and Saudi Arabia. H ...
'' Baker – Yemen dragon tree * '' Dracaena siamica'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena singapurensis'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena singularis'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena sinus-simiorum'' (Chahin.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena sordida'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena spathulata'' Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena specksii'' (Webb & Myklebust) Takaw.-Ny. & Mucina * '' Dracaena spicata'' Roxb. * '' Dracaena steudneri'' Engl. * ''
Dracaena stuckyi ''Dracaena stuckyi'', synonym ''Sansevieria stuckyi'', is a species of succulent plant native to Africa including Mozambique, Tanzania, and southern Kenya. It is a member of a group of related ''Dracaena'' including ''Dracaena angolensis'' and '' ...
'' (God.-Leb.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena subspicata'' (Baker) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena subtilis'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena suffruticosa'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena surculosa'' Lindl. – spotted or gold dust dracaena. Formerly ''D. godseffiana'' * ''
Dracaena tamaranae ''Dracaena tamaranae'', or drago de Gran Canaria, is a species of endemic plants of the island of Gran Canaria, related to the dragon tree, ''Dracaena draco'', and other species of '' Dracaena'' from East Africa Africa is the world's s ...
'' Marrero Rodr., R.S.Almeira & M.Gonzáles-Martin * '' Dracaena terniflora'' Roxb. * '' Dracaena testudinea'' Byng & Christenh. * ''
Dracaena tholloniana Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Hua * '' Dracaena thwaitesii'' Regel * '' Dracaena timorensis'' Kunth * '' Dracaena trachystachys'' Hook.f. * '' Dracaena transvaalensis'' Baker * '' Dracaena trifasciata'' (Prain) Mabb. * ''
Dracaena umbraculifera ''Dracaena umbraculifera'' is a tree species only known from botanical gardens since the end of the 18th century, the original sample was labelled as originating from the island nation of Mauritius. It was declared to be extinct by the IUCN in 19 ...
'' Jacq. * '' Dracaena umbratica'' Ridl. * ''
Dracaena usambarensis Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Engl. * '' Dracaena varians'' (N.E.Br.) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena viridiflora'' Engl. & K.Krause * '' Dracaena volkensii'' (Gürke) Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena wakaensis'' Damen & Quiroz * ''
Dracaena waltersiae Dracaena (romanized form of the Greek ''δράκαινα'' - ''drakaina'', "female dragon") can mean: *Drakaina (mythology), a Greek mythological entity * ''Dracaena'' (plant), a genus of plants *''Cordyline australis'', a plant commonly known as ...
'' Damen * '' Dracaena xiphophylla'' Baker * '' Dracaena yuccifolia'' Ridl. * '' Dracaena zebra'' Byng & Christenh. * '' Dracaena zeylanica'' (L.) Mabb.


Formerly regarded as dracaena

* '' Asparagus asparagoides'' (L.) Druce (as ''D. medeoloides'' L.f.) * ''
Cordyline australis ''Cordyline australis'', commonly known as the cabbage tree, tī kōuka or cabbage-palm, is a widely branched monocot tree endemic to New Zealand. It grows up to tall with a stout trunk and sword-like leaves, which are clustered at the tips of ...
'' (G.Forst.) Endl. (as ''D. australis'' G.Forst.) * ''
Cordyline fruticosa ''Cordyline fruticosa'' is an evergreen flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. The plant is of great cultural importance to the traditional animistic religions of Austronesian and Papuan peoples of the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Isla ...
'' (L.) A.Chev. (as ''D. terminalis'' Lam.) * '' Cordyline indivisa'' (G.Forst.) Steud. (as ''D. indivisa'' G.Forst.) * ''
Cordyline obtecta ''Cordyline obtecta'' (Ti, Norfolk Island cabbage tree, Three Kings cabbage tree) is a widely branching monocot tree native to Norfolk Island (the type locality), and to northern New Zealand. The species name ''obtecta'' derives from the Latin '' ...
'' (Graham) Baker (as ''D. obtecta'' Graham) * '' Cordyline stricta'' (Sims) Endl. (as ''D. stricta'' Sims) * '' Dianella ensifolia'' (L.) DC. (as ''D. ensifolia'' L.) * ''
Liriope graminifolia Liriope may refer to: *Liriope (nymph) In Greek mythology, Liriope () or Leiriope () is a Boeotian naiad of Thespiae, who was probably the daughter of one of the Boeotian or Phocian river gods. Liriope was raped by the river-god Cephissus, wh ...
'' (L.) Baker (as ''D. graminifolia'' L.) * '' Lomandra filiformis'' (Thunb.) Britten (as ''D. filiformis'' Thunb.)


Uses


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 sold as "lucky bamboo", although only superficially resembling true
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...
s. Dracaena houseplants like humidity and moderate watering. They can tolerate periods of drought but the tips of the leaves may turn brown. Leaves at the base will naturally yellow and drop off, leaving growth at the top and a bare stem. Dracaena are vulnerable to mealybugs and scale insects.


Other

A naturally occurring bright red resin,
dragon's blood Dragon's blood is a bright red resin which is obtained from different species of a number of distinct plant genera: '' Calamus'' spp. (previously ''Daemonorops'') also including '' Calamus rotang'', '' Croton'', '' Dracaena'' and ''Pterocarpus'' ...
, 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 social functions in marking graves, sacred sites and farm plots in many African societies


References


Notes


Citations


Sources

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Further reading

*


External links

* *
Socotra botany
. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. {{Taxonbar, from=Q158009 Asparagaceae genera