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Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

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Fig. 123.<br />

Dracaena ombet<br />

subsp. ombet<br />

from Tigray<br />

floristic region.<br />

Dracaena steudneri<br />

Description<br />

5. Dracaena steudneri Engl.<br />

DRACAENA 281<br />

The specific epithet ‘steudneri’ was given in honour <strong>of</strong><br />

the German collector, Steud ner, who collected the type<br />

spe cimen from Gonder floristic region. The species was<br />

described by Eng ler in 1895.<br />

It differs from the related species, D. ellenbeckiana<br />

<strong>and</strong> D. afromontana by the ripe fruits being purplish<br />

maroon. In contrast, D. ellenbeckiana <strong>and</strong> D. afro mon tana<br />

have orange ripe fruits.<br />

Shrub to tall tree up to 15(–25) m tall, trunk 20–45 cm in diameter,<br />

with leaf scars remaining visible. Leaves leathery, shiny, bright<br />

to dark green, sword­shaped, up to 130 × 16 cm, base clasping,<br />

narrowing to 2–6 cm at 5–10 cm from the base, blade widest around<br />

the middle, upper part gradually tapering towards the acute tip,

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