Dracaena reflexa

"Lucky Bamboo", Dracaena sanderiana

Dracaena is a genus of about 40 species of trees and succulent shrubs classified in the family Ruscaceae in the APG II system, or, according to some treatments, separated (with Cordyline) into a family of their own, Dracaenaceae or in the Agavaceae. The majority of the species are native in Africa, with a few in southern Asia and one in tropical Central America. The segregate genus Pleomele is now generally included in Dracaena. The genus Sanseviera is closely related, and has recently been synonymized under Dracaena in the Kubitzki system. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 1728 pixels, file size: 1,014 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) fr: Bois de chandelle (Dracaena reflexa) Photo: B.Navez - 2 MAR 2006 - Réunion island File historyClick on a date/time to view the... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 1728 pixels, file size: 1,014 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) fr: Bois de chandelle (Dracaena reflexa) Photo: B.Navez - 2 MAR 2006 - Réunion island File historyClick on a date/time to view the... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (720x891, 121 KB)This is Dracaena fragrans Stedneri and not . ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (720x891, 121 KB)This is Dracaena fragrans Stedneri and not . ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Succulent plants, such as this Aloe, store water in their fleshy leaves Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to xerophilic climatic or soil conditions. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... Genera Aspidistra Beaucarnea Comosperma Convallaria Danae Dasylirion Dracaena Eriospermum Liriope Maianthemum Nolina Ophiopogon Polygonatum Ruscus Sansevieria Xeronema Ruscaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales. ... The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group is an international group of systematic botanists who have come together to try to establish a consensus view of the taxonomy of flowering plants in the light of the rapid rise of molecular systematics. ... Type genus Agave L. Genera See text. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sansevieria (disambiguation). ... A system of plant taxonomy, the Kubitzki system was published in Kubitzki, K. et al. ...

Dracaena have a secondary thickening meristem in their trunk. This monocotyledonous secondary thickening meristem is quite different to the thickening meristem found in dicotyledonous plants and is termed Dracaenoid thickening by some authors. This character is shared with other members of the Agavaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae among other related families. Tunica-Corpus model of the apical meristem. ... Orders Base Monocots: Acorus Alismatales Asparagales Dioscoreales Liliales Pandanales Family Petrosaviaceae Commelinids: Arecales Commelinales Poales Zingiberales Family Dasypogonaceae Monocotyledons or monocots are a group of flowering plants usually ranked as a class and once called the Monocotyledoneae. ... Orders see text Dicotyledons or dicots are flowering plants whose seed contains two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. ... Type genus Agave L. Genera See text. ... Genera Xanthorrhoea Xanthorrhoeaceae is a family of flowering plants. ...

Species

They can be divided into two groups based on their growth habits:

1. A group of tree-size species with stout trunks and stiff, broad-based leaves, growing in arid semi-desert areas, and known as dragon trees.
2. A group of smaller, shrubby species with slender stems and flexible strap-shaped leaves, growing as understorey plants in rainforests (and very popular as houseplants), and known collectively as shrubby dracaenas.

Dragon trees

• Dracaena americana - Central America Dragon Tree
• Dracaena arborea - Tree Dracaena
• Dracaena cinnabari - Socotra Dragon Tree
• Dracaena draco - Canary Islands Dragon Tree
• Dracaena ombet - Gabal Elba Dragon Tree

Shrubby dracaenas

• Dracaena aletriformis
• Dracaena bicolor
• Dracaena cincta
• Dracaena concinna
• Dracaena elliptica
• Dracaena fragrans - Striped Dracaena, Compact Dracaena, corn plant, Cornstalk Dracaena

• Synonym: Dracaena deremensis

• Dracaena goldieana
• Dracaena hookeriana
• Dracaena mannii
• Dracaena marginata - Red-edged Dracaena or Madagascar Dragon Tree
• Dracaena marmorata
• Dracaena phrynioides
• Dracaena reflexa - Pleomele Dracaena or "Song of India"
• Dracaena sanderiana - Ribbon Dracaena, marketed as "Lucky Bamboo"
• Dracaena surculosa - Spotted Dracaena or Gold Dust Dracaena
• Dracaena thalioides
• Dracaena umbraculifera

Several other species previously included in Dracaena are now treated in the genus Cordyline. This article is about arid terrain. ... The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ... A houseplant is usually a tropical or semi-tropical plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. ... Binomial name Dracaena draco (L.) L. Dracaena draco, the Canary Islands Dragon Tree or Drago is a subtropical Dragon Tree endemic to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Madeira. ... Binomial name Dracaena marginata Lam. ... Binomial name Lam. ... Binomial name Dracaena sanderiana Sander ex Mast. ... Cordyline is a genus of woody plants in the family Agavaceae. ...

Uses

A bright red resin, dragon's blood, is produced from D. draco and, in ancient times, from D. cinnabari. Some species such as D. deremnsis, D. fragrans, D. godseffiana, D. marginata, and D. sanderiana are popular as houseplants. Rooted stem cuttings of D. sanderiana are widely marketed in the U.S.A. as "Lucky Bamboo", although only superficially resembling true bamboos. Dragons blood is a bright red resin that is obtained from different species of four distinct plants genera Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, and Pterocarpus. ... A houseplant is usually a tropical or semi-tropical plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. ... For other uses, see Bamboo (disambiguation). ...

Cleve Backster performed some of his polygraph experiments on a Dragon tree. Cleve Backster (b. ... Polygraph results are sometimes recorded on a chart recorder A polygraph (commonly yet incorrectly referred to as a lie detector) is a device that measures and records several physiological variables such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions. ...

References and external links

• Waterhouse, J. T. 1987. The Phylogenetic Significance of Dracaena-type growth. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 109: 129-128.
• Socotra botany. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.