Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

140 ANTHERICACEAE
Chlorophytum
longifolium
Description
Habitat and
distribution
to Malawi and Zambia. The flowering period is from
August to October. A closely related widespread species
described from the Sudan, C. pusillum Baker, might
also occur in Ethiopia. This species has spongy roots,
shorter pedicels and tepals with 5 veins. More studies are
necessary.
2. Chlorophytum longifolium Schweinf. ex Baker
The species epithet ‘longifolium’ refers to the long leaves
of this species, and with leaves up to 50 cm, they are
certainly above the average in the genus. The description
was based on plants from Tigray (Beless) collected by
Quartin­Dillon. The species is easily distinguished
among the Ethiopian Chlorophytum species, by its
spicate, pubescent/papillate inflorescence and bellshaped
flowers. It is related to C. silva ti cum, in Ethiopia
only known from Sidamo floristic region, but the latter
is smaller, only 10–15 cm high, glabrous and has only
one flower per node in the inflorescence, C. longifolium
is taller than 50 cm, with papillate inflorescence and 2–5
flowers per node. The two species were earlier referred
to a separate genus Dasystachys, characterized by bellshaped
flowers.
Plants 50–105 cm high. Rhizome thick, horizontal, moniliform, up
to 10 cm long; roots spongy, often swollen towards the tips. Leaves
rosulate, linear, to narrow lanceolate, often canaliculate, 20–50 ×
1–2.2 cm, with undulate ciliate margins. Peduncle terete, glabrous
below, densely papillate above, with up to 15 cm leaves all along
its length. Inflorescence simple, spicate or with 1–3 basal branches,
flowers congested. Pedicels from 1 to 5 at each node, ca. 5 mm long
in fruit, articulated at the apex. Perianth white, united at the base,
bell­shaped, tepals 3­veined, scabrid at the tips, densely glandular
papillate on the inside especially above the ovary. Stamens exserted;
filaments fusiform, longer than the anthers; style declinate, as long
as the stamens. Capsule oblong, deeply three­lobed, up to 10 mm
long, smooth. Seeds disc­shaped, c. 4 mm across.
The species is rare in Ethiopia, only found in woodland
between 1400 and 2000 m in the Tigray and Gonder
floristic regions in Ethiopia and in Eritrea. Outside
Ethiopia, however, it is widespread in Tanzania, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. It has only been
collected in the fruit stage in Ethiopia (August), indicating
a flowering period May to July.