''Chlorophytum'' (,''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607), sometimes colloquially referred to as the spider plants, is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of almost 200

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the century plant subfamily within the

asparagus family 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''. This family includes both commo ...

. The plants are

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

regions of Africa, Australia, and Asia.Atlas of Living Australia, ''Chlorophytum''
/ref> Depending on species, most ''Chlorophytum'' mature at about 10–60 cm (3"-12") in height, growing out from a central rosette of long, slender

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

of around 15–75 cm (5"-29") in length. The plants tend to have thick, fleshy, tuberous roots, about 0.5-2 cm (0.17"-0.75") thick. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are small and usually white, produced on sparse

panicle In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...

s up to 120 cm (47") long. In certain species, such as ''C. comosum'' (the ubiquitous 'spider plant'), the plants are known to reproduce

vegetatively Vegetative reproduction (also known as vegetative propagation, vegetative multiplication or cloning) is a form of asexual reproduction occurring in plants in which a new plant grows from a fragment or Cutting (plant), cutting of the parent pl ...

by producing

plantlets A plantlet is a young or small plant, produced on the leaf margins or the aerial stems of another plant."Plantlet", Merriam-Webster' Many plants such as spider plants naturally create stolons with plantlets on the ends as a form of asexual rep ...

—baby plants connected by an "umbilical" stem, sprouting from the side of the main mother-plant. On the ground, or in a wild setting, this vegetative growth habit enables vast swathes of the plant to colonize a single area, as the plantlets develop small roots to eventually anchor into the soil and spread the mass further. In a home or garden setting, these plants are often grown in hanging pots, on plant stands, high shelves or other elevated surfaces. As the plant develops and throws off babies, or "pups", these may be optionally removed and propagated, either in a vessel of water for a time or directly planted into new substrate. Conversely, if the pups are allowed to remain connected to the mother plant and hang naturally, the appearance vaguely mimics spiders hanging by their silken thread—thus giving the plant the common moniker of "spider-plant". The plantlets will develop

aerial roots Aerial roots are roots growing above the ground. They are often adventitious, i.e. formed from nonroot tissue. They are found in diverse plant species, including epiphytes such as orchids (''Orchidaceae''), tropical coastal swamp trees such ...

when left attached to the mother plant, as a means of absorbing ambient humidity until they make contact with an organic substrate, or the ground. ''

Chlorophytum borivilianum ''Chlorophytum borivilianum'' is a herb with lanceolate leaves, from tropical wet forests in the peninsular Indian region. It is cultivated and eaten as a leaf vegetable in some parts of India, and its roots are used as a health tonic under the n ...

'' is a native of

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, where it is grown for use as a

medicinal plant Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various functions, including Plant defense against h ...

. Image:SpiderplantFlower.JPG, Flower of ''C. comosum'' Image:2007-06-24Chlorophytum comosum03.jpg, Fleshy tuberous roots of ''C. comosum''

Species, subspecies, and varieties

The

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (usually abbreviated to WCSP) was an "international collaborative programme that provides the latest peer reviewed and published opinions on the accepted scientific names and synonyms of selected p ...

recognized 191 species :Search for "Chlorophytum", * '' Chlorophytum acutum'' (C.H.Wright) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum affine'' Baker ** ''Chlorophytum affine'' var. ''affine'' ** ''Chlorophytum affine'' var. ''curviscapum'' (Poelln.) Hanid * '' Chlorophytum africanum'' (Baker) Baker * ''

Chlorophytum alismifolium ''Chlorophytum'' (,''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607), sometimes colloquially referred to as the spider plants, is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen Perennial plant, perennial flowering plants in the Agavoideae, century plan ...

Chlorophytum arundinaceum ''Chlorophytum'' (,''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607), sometimes colloquially referred to as the spider plants, is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the century plant subfamily within the aspar ...

'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum aureum'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum basitrichum'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum baturense'' K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum benuense'' Engl. & K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum bharuchae'' Ansari, Sundararagh. & Hemadri * '' Chlorophytum bifolium'' Dammer * '' Chlorophytum blepharophyllum'' Schweinf. ex Baker ** ''Chlorophytum blepharophyllum'' subsp. ''blepharophyllum'' ** ''Chlorophytum blepharophyllum'' subsp. ''pendulum'' Hoell & Nordal ** ''Chlorophytum blepharophyllum'' subsp. ''rubropygmaeum'' Bjorå & Nordal * ''

'' Santapau & R.R.Fern. * '' Chlorophytum bowkeri'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum brachystachyum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum bracteatum'' Hua * '' Chlorophytum brevipedunculatum'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum breviscapum'' Dalzell * '' Chlorophytum bulbinifolium'' Hoell & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum burundiense'' Meerts * '' Chlorophytum calyptrocarpum'' (Baker) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum cameronii'' (Baker) Kativu ** ''Chlorophytum cameronii'' var. ''cameronii'' ** ''Chlorophytum cameronii'' var. ''grantii'' (Baker) Nordal ** ''Chlorophytum cameronii'' var. ''purpuratum'' (Rendle) Govaerts * '' Chlorophytum camporum'' Engl. & K.Krause * ''

Chlorophytum capense ''Chlorophytum'' (,''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607), sometimes colloquially referred to as the spider plants, is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the century plant subfamily within the aspar ...

'' (L.) Voss * '' Chlorophytum caudatibracteatum'' Engl. & K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum caulescens'' (Baker) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum chelindaense'' Kativu & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum chevalieri'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum chinense'' Bureau & Franch. * '' Chlorophytum chloranthum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum clarae'' Bjorå & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum collinum'' (Poelln.) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum colubrinum'' (Baker) Engl. * ''

Chlorophytum comosum ''Chlorophytum comosum'', usually called spider plant or common spider plant due to its spider-like look, also known as spider ivy, airplane plant, ribbon plant (a name it shares with ''Dracaena sanderiana''), and hen and chickens, is a species o ...

'' (Thunb.) Jacques * '' Chlorophytum cooperi'' (Baker) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum cordifolium'' De Wild. * '' Chlorophytum crassinerve'' (Baker) Oberm. * '' Chlorophytum crispum'' (Thunb.) Baker * '' Chlorophytum cyperaceum'' (Kies) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum dalzielii'' (Hutch. ex Hepper) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum debile'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum decaryanum'' H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum decipiens'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum densiflorum'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum dianellifolium'' (Baker) H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum distichum'' H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum dolichocarpum'' Tamura * '' Chlorophytum ducis-aprutii'' Chiov. * '' Chlorophytum fasciculatum'' (Baker) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum filifolium'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum filipendulum'' Baker ** ''Chlorophytum filipendulum'' subsp. ''filipendulum'' ** ''Chlorophytum filipendulum'' subsp. ''amaniense'' (Engl.) Nordal & A.D.Poulsen * '' Chlorophytum fischeri'' (Baker) Baker * '' Chlorophytum gallabatense'' Schweinf. ex Baker * '' Chlorophytum galpinii'' (Baker) Kativu ** ''Chlorophytum galpinii'' var. ''galpinii'' ** ''Chlorophytum galpinii'' var. ''matabelense'' (Baker) Kativu ** ''Chlorophytum galpinii'' var. ''norlindhii'' (Weim.) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum geayanum'' (H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum geophilum'' Peter ex Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum glaucoides'' Blatt. * '' Chlorophytum glaucum'' Dalzell * '' Chlorophytum goetzei'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum gothanense'' Malpure & S.R.Yadav * '' Chlorophytum gracile'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum graminifolium'' (Willd.) Kunth * '' Chlorophytum graniticola'' Kativu * '' Chlorophytum graniticum'' H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum graptophyllum'' (Baker) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum haygarthii'' J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans * '' Chlorophytum herrmannii'' Nordal & Sebsebe * '' Chlorophytum heynei'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum hiranense'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum hirsutum'' A.D.Poulsen & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum holstii'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum humbertianum'' H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum humifusum'' Cufod. * '' Chlorophytum hypoxiforme'' (H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum hysteranthum'' Kativu * '' Chlorophytum immaculatum'' (Hepper) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum inconspicuum'' (Baker) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum indicum'' (Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Dress * ''

Chlorophytum inornatum ''Chlorophytum inornatum'' is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Chlorophytum''. It is the type species of its genus. It is related to the commonly known houseplant ''Chlorophytum comosum'' also referred to as a "spider plant". 3-(4'-Metho ...

'' Ker Gawl. * '' Chlorophytum intermedium'' Craib * '' Chlorophytum kolhapurense'' Sardesai, S.P.Gaikwad & S.R.Yadav * '' Chlorophytum krauseanum'' (Dinter) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum krookianum'' Zahlbr. * '' Chlorophytum lancifolium'' Welw. ex Baker ** ''Chlorophytum lancifolium'' subsp. ''lancifolium'' ** ''Chlorophytum lancifolium'' subsp. ''cordatum'' (Engl.) A.D.Poulsen & Nordal ** ''Chlorophytum lancifolium'' subsp. ''togoense'' (Engl.) A.D.Poulsen & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum latifolium'' Engl. & K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum laxum'' R.Br. * '' Chlorophytum leptoneurum'' (C.H.Wright) Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum lewisae'' Oberm. * '' Chlorophytum limosum'' (Baker) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum littorale'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum longifolium'' Schweinf. ex Baker * '' Chlorophytum longiscapum'' Dammer * '' Chlorophytum longissimum'' Ridl. * ''

Chlorophytum macrophyllum ''Chlorophytum'' (,''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607), sometimes colloquially referred to as the spider plants, is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the century plant subfamily within the aspar ...

'' (A.Rich.) Asch. * '' Chlorophytum macrorrhizum'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum macrosporum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum madagascariense'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum malabaricum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum malayense'' Ridl. * '' Chlorophytum micranthum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum minor'' Kativu * '' Chlorophytum modestum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum monophyllum'' Oberm. * '' Chlorophytum namaquense'' Schltr. ex Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum namorokense'' H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum nepalense'' (Lindl.) Baker * '' Chlorophytum nervatum'' (C.H.Wright) Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum nervosum'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum nidulans'' (Baker) Brenan * '' Chlorophytum nimmonii'' Dalzell * '' Chlorophytum nubicum'' (Baker) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum nyasae'' (Rendle) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum nzii'' A.Chev. ex Hepper * '' Chlorophytum occultum'' A.D.Poulsen & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum orchidastrum'' Lindl. * '' Chlorophytum parkeri'' (Baker) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum parvulum'' Chiov. * '' Chlorophytum paucinervatum'' (Poelln.) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum pauciphyllum'' Oberm. * '' Chlorophytum pauper'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum pendulum'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum peralbum'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum perfoliatum'' Kativu * '' Chlorophytum petraeum'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum petrophilum'' K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum pilosissimum'' Engl. & K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum polystachys'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum pseudocaule'' Tesfaye & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum pterocarpum'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum puberulum'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum pubiflorum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum pusillum'' Schweinf. ex Baker * '' Chlorophytum pygmaeum'' (Weim.) Kativu ** ''Chlorophytum pygmaeum'' subsp. ''pygmaeum'' ** ''Chlorophytum pygmaeum'' subsp. ''rhodesianum'' (Rendle) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum radula'' (Baker) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum ramosissimum'' Nordal & Thulin * '' Chlorophytum rangei'' (Engl. & K.Krause) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum recurvifolium'' (Baker) C.Archer & Kativu * '' Chlorophytum reflexibracteatum'' Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum rhizopendulum'' Bjorå & Hemp * '' Chlorophytum rigidum'' Kunth * '' Chlorophytum ruahense'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum rubribracteatum'' (De Wild.) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum rutenbergianum'' Vatke * '' Chlorophytum saundersiae'' (Baker) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum scabrum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum senegalense'' (Baker) Hepper * '' Chlorophytum serpens'' Sebsebe & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum silvaticum'' Dammer * '' Chlorophytum simplex'' Craib * '' Chlorophytum sofiense'' (H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum somaliense'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum sparsiflorum'' Baker ** ''Chlorophytum sparsiflorum'' var. ''sparsiflorum'' ** ''Chlorophytum sparsiflorum'' var. ''bipindense'' (Engl. & K.Krause) Bjorå & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum sphacelatum'' (Baker) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum staudtii'' Nordal * '' Chlorophytum stenopetalum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum stolzii'' (K.Krause) Weim. * '' Chlorophytum subligulatum'' H.Perrier * '' Chlorophytum subpetiolatum'' (Baker) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum suffruticosum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum superpositum'' (Baker) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum sylvestre'' Bardot-Vaucoulon * '' Chlorophytum tenerrimum'' Peter ex Poelln. * '' Chlorophytum tetraphyllum'' (L.f.) Baker * '' Chlorophytum transvaalense'' (Baker) Kativu * '' Chlorophytum trichophlebium'' (Baker) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum triflorum'' (Aiton) Kunth * '' Chlorophytum tripedale'' (Baker) H.Perrier *'' Chlorophytum tuberosum'' (Roxb.) Baker * '' Chlorophytum unyikense'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum velutinum'' Kativu * '' Chlorophytum vestitum'' Baker * '' Chlorophytum viridescens'' Engl. * '' Chlorophytum viscosum'' Kunth * '' Chlorophytum waibelii'' K.Krause * '' Chlorophytum warneckei'' (Engl.) Marais & Reilly * '' Chlorophytum zambiense'' Bjorå & Nordal * '' Chlorophytum zavattarii'' (Cufod.) Nordal * '' Chlorophytum zingiberastrum'' Nordal & A.D.Poulsen

References

External links

{{Authority control Asparagaceae genera Agavoideae