Dracaena laxissima Engl.

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Picture: Bart Wursten
Lusero Forest, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Slender, sparsely branched climbing shrub, sometimes a liane up to 10 mhigh. Leaves alternate in one plane along the branches, lanceolate-elliptic, 7-16 cm long with a prominent midrib and narrowing at the base into a sheathing pseudo-petiole. Inflorescences terminal,branched, pendulous,15-30 cm long. Flowers with perianth 15-22 mm long, lobes twice as long as tube, greenish-white to pinkish. Fruit globose, c. 8 mm in diameter, orange.
Type location:	DRC
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	laxissima: very lax, probably referring to the slender, flexible branches of this species.
Habitat:	In uderstorey of evergreen forest.
Altitude range:	850 - 2400 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	From São Tomé and Nigeria to Tanzania and Zanzibar and South to Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	N,E
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Mc
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Monday 10 September 2018
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 305. (Includes a picture). Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 21. La Croix, I. (2010). Dracaenaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(2) Pages 19 - 20. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 114. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 79. Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 71. White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Page 16. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 99.

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Flora of Burundi: Dracaena laxissima
Flora of Malawi: Dracaena laxissima
Flora of Mozambique: Dracaena laxissima

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Dracaena laxissima
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Dracaena laxissima
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Dracaena laxissima
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Dracaena laxissima
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iNaturalist: Dracaena laxissima
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Dracaena laxissima
JSTOR Plant Science: Dracaena laxissima
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Dracaena laxissima
Plants of the World Online: Dracaena laxissima
Tropicos: Dracaena laxissima
Wikipedia: Dracaena laxissima