Dracaena surculosa

Dracaena surculosa, called the gold dust dracaena and spotted dracaena, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to west and west-central tropical Africa, from Guinea to the Republic of the Congo.^[2][1] Its cultivar 'Florida Beauty' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[3]

Dracaena surculosa
Habit
Close-up of flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Nolinoideae
Genus:	Dracaena
Species:	D. surculosa
Binomial name
Dracaena surculosa Lindl.
Synonyms[1]
Dracaena godseffiana Sander ex Mast. Dracaena interrupta Harv. ex G.Don Nemampsis ternifolia Raf. Pleomele godseffiana (Sander ex Mast.) N.E.Br.

Subtaxa

The following varieties are accepted:^[1]

• Dracaena surculosa var. maculata Hook.f.
• Dracaena surculosa var. surculosa

Description

A branched shrub or small tree that commonly grows less than 4 m in height but occasionally reaches 8 m, it has reddish brown tuberous roots that sometimes produce canelike shoots that are sometimes clad in thin greenish to white phrophylls.^[4] Leaves are concolorous or variegated, glossy bright to dark green above and sometimes infused with white to yellowish dots; they are arranged in pseudowhorls with margins that are sometimes rough or smooth, apex is acuminate and base is cunneate.^[4] Leaflets can reach up to 20 cm long and 7 cm wide and are elliptic in outline. Flowers are greenish to white. Fruits is orange to bright red in colour, globose and up to 2 cm in diameter.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

Occurs naturally in West Africa from Guinea westwards to Cameroon.^[5]

Uses

Commonly cultivated in botanical gardens and used as an ornamental plant.^[5]

• 
  Dracaena surculosa 'Florida Beauty'
• 
  Dracaena surculosa 'Milky Way'
• 
  Fruit
• 
  Dracaena surculosa var. maculata

Media related to Dracaena surculosa at Wikimedia Commons