Cordyline

Cordyline fruticosa cultivar, one of the many varieties that are also suitable as a houseplant.

Lobe Lily ( Cordyline ) are a genus of the subfamily of Lomandroideae in the family of asparagus plants ( Asparagaceae ) within the order of asparagus -like ( Asparagales ). Many species that were formerly in this genus were placed in the genus Dracaena. Cordyline form club-shaped storage tubers on the roots ( German name!) Some species and varieties are ornamentals. Some species, especially their varieties have variegated leaves, often red, that's why they are used as ornamental plants in frost- free areas in parks and gardens, as well as houseplants.

Description

There are perennial herbaceous and woody species. The woody species have only tree-like or shrub -like life forms and no trees. The more or less verhölzten Stems are usually little branched with clear leaf scars. The change-constant leaves are borne in a rosette. The leaves are divided into leaf sheath, petiole and leaf blade. Sometimes a petiole is missing otherwise it is 10 to 30 cm long. The more or less broad leaf blades have largely parallel veins but with lateral nerves, which extend from the midrib.

In the axils of the uppermost leaves develop branched, relatively large Rispige inflorescences. The usually short-stalked flowers are hermaphroditic and threefold. The six equally diverse bloom are Roehrig, bell - up grown almost cylindrical. The six stamens are fused with the perianth. Three carpels are a superior ovaries fused with two to many ovules per ovary chamber. The slim style ends in a small, capitate stigma.

The leathery berries contain one to several seeds. The seeds are black by Phytomelanin.

Dissemination

Its main distribution area extends from New Zealand to Asia. Eight species are native to Australia.

System

The first publication of the genus Cordyline was Philibert Commerson in 1789 by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu: Genera Plantarum, 41 or by Philibert Commerson in Robert Brown: Prodromus Novae Florae Hollandiae, 280 until 1810.

Synonyms for Cordyline Comm. ex Juss. are: .. .. Taetsia Medik, Carlwoodia Sweet, Sweet Charlwoodia, Euphyleia Raf, Calodracon Planch, Cohnia Kunth, Dracaenopsis Planch, Ezehlsia Lour. ex B.A.Gomes, Terminalis Medik. nom. rej ..

The genus of the lobe Lily ( Cordyline ) includes about 20 species:

  • Cordyline australis ( G.Forst. ) Endl. (Syn.: Dracaena australis G.Forst. )
  • Cordyline banksii Hook. f: native New Zealand.
  • Cordyline cannifolia R.Br.
  • Cordyline congesta ( Sweet) Steud.
  • Cordyline densicosma Linden & Andre
  • Cordyline dracaenoides Kunth
  • Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A.Chev. ( Syn: Cordyline terminalis Kunth )
  • Cordyline guilfoylei Lem.
  • Cordyline indivisa ( G.Forst. ) Steud.
  • Cordyline murchisoniae F.Muell.
  • Cordyline obtecta ( Graham) Baker
  • Cordyline petiolarlis ( Domin ) Pedley: Endemic in the northeastern part of New South Wales and south-eastern part of Queensland ( eastern Australia).
  • Cordyline rubra Otto & A.Dietr.
  • Cordyline spectabilis Kunth & CDBouche ex Kunth nom. dub.
  • Cordyline stricta ( Sims ) Endl.

This genus was formerly placed in the family Agavaceae, Liliaceae and Asteliaceae.

Ethnobotany

In the central highlands of western New Guinea is in the Eipo a Cordyline Type a sacred plant. It is planted at the men's house. This rite is a symbolic repetition of the creation process.

In Polynesia, the holy and auspicious Ti or Ki plant (Cordyline terminalis or Cordyline fruticosa ) was planted near the temples ( marae ). From the burnt plant parts presented the Polynesians forth the black tattoo ink.

Pictures

Cordyline stricta:

Habit with woody-stemmed ( and none but treelike forms of life and no trees. ) And inflorescence.

Swell

  • Chen Xinqi & Nicholas J. Turland: Cordyline in the Flora of China, Volume 24, 2000, p 204: Online.
  • Rubina Akhter & Shahina A. Ghazanfar: Cordyline in the Flora of Pakistan: Online.
Dracaena (plant) Ovary (botany) Berry Agavoideae Agricultural Research Service
202603
de