THE SANSEVIERIAS ETHNOBOTANY

Date and Time: 
Friday, 12 May, 2017 - 09:00
Author(s): 
MBUGUA
, PAUL - Member of Society of Economic Botany, Kenya Chapter

This paper reviews the uses of Sansevieria plants in the various parts of the world where it grows in the wild. A few cases where its utility is mainly ornamental are also elucidated. The uses are world wide based of the thesis by the author which covered world wide vegetation of all Sanseveirias then known – mid 1990s. The herbaria covered in the study included Kew, Missouri, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam. The uses notes on herbaria sheets are discussed and presented to those who may not know much about Sansevieria - the major uses being mainly ornamental, fiber and a plant that little else is known. Being succulent, this genus presents interesting plants many plant enthusiasts hardly engage in their green houses – yet here lies the secret, they are very hardy, few disease and little watering hence the cost of their husbandry is low.