Dracaenaceae - Dragon-tree family

Shrubs, trees or rhizomatous, xerophytic perennials. Leaves alternate, entire, with parallel venation, stiff, often succulent. Flowers crowded in dense racemes or panicles, ± actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous; pedicels with an often disc-like articulation. Perianth segments in two series of 3 each, petaloid. Stamens in two series of 3, exserted. Ovary superior, 3-locular; ovule 1 per loculus, axile. Fruit a berry. Seeds 1-3, dirty-white.

Comment: The genera included by us under Dracaenaceae are nowadays often placed together with Eriospermaceae, Ruscaceae, Nolinaceae and Covallariaceae as Subfamily Nolinoideae under Asparagaceae. However, we have followed the more traditional treatment for the time being.

Worldwide: 6 genera and 220 species, south-western North America and tropical zones, especially Africa.

Mozambique: 2 genera and 19 taxa.