Chlorophytum

Scientific name

Chlorophytum Ker Gawl.

Common names

spider plant

Family

Asparagaceae

Similar genera

Crinum, Peliosanthes

Native distribution

subtropical and tropical; predominantly Africa, Asia

Species cultivated

Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques

Adventive distribution

has expanded range within its native distribution; also introduced in North America

Weed status

not considered an environmental weed but is found in many urban settings as an escaped garden plant

Habit

small to medium rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
; littorallittoral:
(adj) of or along the shore

Brief description

Perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
or deciduousdeciduous:
(adj) shedding of parts at the end of their growing period, as with leaves; those trees or shrubs that drop their leaves at the end of the season
and geophyticgeophytic:
(adj) having underground storage organs, such as a bulb, tuber, corm, or rhizome
herb. Roots either swollen without tubers or with distinct tubers. Leaves alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, typically in a rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
, sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
linear to oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
, folded lengthwise; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acute to acuminateacuminate:
(adj) tapering gradually to a point and forming more or less concave sides
; base straight; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
; venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
parallel. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
axillary, a racemeraceme:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranched inflorescence having pedicelled flowers on a usually elongated axis (may be cymose)
or paniclepanicle:
(n) an indeterminate, branched (often much-branched) inflorescence; the ultimate units may be of a different inflorescence type
; pedunculatepedunculate:
(adj) borne on or possessing a peduncle
; bracteatebracteate:
(adj) possessing or bearing bracts
; pedicelspedicel:
(n) the stalk of a single flower in an inflorescence, or of a grass spikelet
short, articulated near the middle. Flower actinomorphicactinomorphic:
(adj) of flowers, having radial symmetry; capable of being bisected into identifical halves along more than one axis
; tepals 6, in 2 whorls, free, oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
; usually white, sometimes with a reddish tinge or streak; stamens 6.

Natural habitat

tropics and subtropics

Additional comments

A genus of almost 200 species, mainly in Africa and India. Chlorophytum borivilianum is one of the most important medicinal plants of India, while C. comosum is commonly sold as an aquarium plant, as it tolerates submersion for long periods of time.