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Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Spider-plant
• ribbonplant
• spider-ivy
• spiderplant
• Bracket plant
• Green Hen And Chickens
• Hen And Chickens
• Hen-And-Chickens
• Hen-and-Chicks
• Spider Ivy
• Walking Anthericum

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Phalangium comosum
• Hartwegia comosa
• Hollia comosa
• Caesia comosa
• Narthecium sarmentosum
• Anthericum vittatum variegatum
• Chlorophytum gazense
• Chlorophytum usambarense
• Chlorophytum glaucidulum
• Phalangium viviparum
• Anthericum sternbergianum
• Anthericum vallis-trappii
• Anthericum longituberosum
• Anthericum comosum
• Chlorophytum delagoense
• Chlorophytum bukobense
• Chlorophytum bukobense var. kilimandscharicum
• Chlorophytum burchellii
• Chlorophytum brevipes
• Chlorophytum elatulum
• Anthericum williamsii
• Anthericum picturatum
• Chlorophytum glaucidulum var. pauper
• Chlorophytum inopinum
• Chlorophytum paludicola
• Anthericum vittatum
• Chlorophytum nemorosum
• Chlorophytum magnum
• Chlorophytum longum
• Chlorophytum miserum
• Chlorophytum limurense
• Chlorophytum kirkii
• Chlorophytum turritum
• Chlorophytum sternbergianum
• Chlorophytum ramiferum
• Chlorophytum rugosum
• Cordyline vivipara

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asparagales, it is classified under the family Asparagaceae and is identified by the genus Chlorophytum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several distinct regions across the globe. In Middle Europe, its presence can be observed within the borders of Germany. Its range extends southward to Northern Africa, specifically documented in Tunisia. The species is also found within the Macaronesian islands, including both the Canary Islands and Madeira. Finally, its distribution reaches West Tropical Africa, where it grows in the Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Chlorophytum comosum is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse topographical gradients, allowing it to thrive across a significant altitudinal spectrum. This species is distributed across an extensive elevational range, occurring from as low as 25 m AMSL to a maximum altitude of 1830 m AMSL. This wide vertical distribution suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, enabling the plant to inhabit various microclimates ranging from lowland tropical environments to higher-altitude montane habitats. Such a range indicates its ability to tolerate varying levels of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and moisture availability inherent to different elevations.

Elevational range max:

1830 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

25 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Chlorophytum comosum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. Its structural growth strategy is classified as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, typically protected by leaf litter or the substrate. This evolutionary adaptation enables the plant to endure unfavorable environmental conditions by maintaining its regenerative organs close to the ground, facilitating its long-term survival and ability to re-emerge during favorable periods.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Chlorophytum comosum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber or a vine, and it grows as an independent organism rather than a parasite. It is a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, occupying land-based habitats. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.8 m, maintaining a mean height of approximately 0.6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Chlorophytum comosum is characterized by its specialized foliar structure, which plays a crucial role in its photosynthetic efficiency and resource management. The plant develops elongated, linear leaves that exhibit significant morphological variation depending on environmental conditions and developmental stages. Specifically, the leaf length typically ranges from a minimum of 20 cm to a maximum of 45 cm, providing a substantial surface area for light interception. Accompanying this longitudinal growth is a narrow profile, with leaf width measurements varying between a minimum of 0.6 cm and a maximum of 2.5 cm. This narrow, strap-like architecture is an evolutionary adaptation that allows the plant to optimize light capture while minimizing water loss through transpiration, supporting its metabolic processes and overall vigor.

Leaf length max:

45 cm

Leaf length min:

20 cm

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.6 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Chlorophyton comosum is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers, ensuring that both male and female reproductive organs are present within the same flower. The pollination process is primarily biotic, relying on an insect pollination syndrome to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, which promotes genetic diversity through cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule. These capsules are dehiscent, meaning they split open at maturity to release the seeds. Each fruit typically contains a range of 11 to 100 seeds, with each individual seed possessing a consistent mass of 0.00225 g (representing the minimum, maximum, and mean values). The dispersal of these seeds is categorized as unspecialized, though it also exhibits anthropochorous tendencies, suggesting that human activity may play a role in its distribution.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass mean:

0.00225 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Chlorophytum comosum has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf.

Root

1. Frontiers in chemistry
2. African health sciences
3. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Leaf

1. Frontiers in chemistry
2. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Chemicals

Chlorophytum comosum has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 232Th, DODECANOIC ACID, Fatty acids, HEPTADECANOIC ACID, Isoprenoid.

232Th

1. Journal of environmental radioactivity

DODECANOIC ACID

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Fatty acids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

HEPTADECANOIC ACID

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Isoprenoid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Chlorophytum comosum has 4 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, Hemolytic, Hypoglycemic.

Antioxidant

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Antiproliferative

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Hemolytic

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Hypoglycemic

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Conditions

Chlorophytum comosum has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include HeLa cells, breast cancer, lung cancer, tumor.

Hela cells

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Breast cancer

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Lung cancer

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Tumor

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Chlorophytum comosum has 2 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous roots and leaves extracts, ethanolic roots and leaves extracts.

Aqueous roots and leaves extracts

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Ethanolic roots and leaves extracts

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry