Biodiversity Literature Repository

Submit to community
Liberated Data
Published November 12, 2025 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Sansevieria bangalalana sp. nov. (Asparagales, Asparagaceae), close to extinction in the wild, and five other narrowly endemic and threatened species of Sansevieria from Tanzania previously unknown to science

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Botanical Garden, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 2, 14469 Potsdam, Germany.
  • 2. Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority, National Hebarium of Tanzania, PO Box 3024, Arusha, Tanzania.
  • 3. Tanzania Sansevieria Foundation, PO Box 278, Usa River, Arusha, Tanzania.

Description

Burkart, Michael, Kavula, Kened Alfred, Constantine, Immaculate Kileo, Mollel, Neduvoto Piniel, Piniely, Luciana Naftal, Sikawa, Robert Augustino, Yinger, Barry R. (2025): Sansevieria bangalalana sp. nov. (Asparagales, Asparagaceae), close to extinction in the wild, and five other narrowly endemic and threatened species of Sansevieria from Tanzania previously unknown to science. European Journal of Taxonomy 1026: 65-106, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1026.3113, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3113/13881

Files

source.pdf

Files (25.5 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:e373b9bfee8ba77e5ff9145cc0a9fe59
25.5 MB Preview Download

Linked records

Additional details

Identifiers

URL
https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/313244
LSID
urn:lsid:plazi.org:pub:E373FFBFFF8BA77EFFF9145CFFA9FE59
URL
http://publication.plazi.org/id/E373FFBFFF8BA77EFFF9145CFFA9FE59

Cites
Publication: 10.2307/4118549 (DOI)
Publication: 10.2307/4107465 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1007/978-3-031-45293-2_6 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1080/10635150701701083 (DOI)
Publication: 10.3897/rio.7.e62810 (DOI)
Publication: 10.2985/015.086.0205 (DOI)
Publication: 10.2985/015.089.0607 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1038/s41597-020-00702-z (DOI)
Publication: 10.2307/4110922 (DOI)
Publication: 10.17433/9.2021.50153953.475-481 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1016/j.flora.2019.151489 (DOI)
Publication: 10.3390/su11020505 (DOI)
Publication: 10.2985/015.087.0302 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0997-2_1 (DOI)
Publication: 10.11646/phytotaxa.483.1.1 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1111/jse.12650 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1016/j.cities.2020.102876 (DOI)
Publication: 10.11646/phytotaxa.376.6.2 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107404 (DOI)
Has part
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723750 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FF89A77CFD8F12ACFD8BF9B1 (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723752 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FF8FA777FE8E1554FB32FAB5 (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723757 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FF82A770FE841175FEC2FC67 (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723759 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FF85A76BFE6E1620FE45FC60 (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723761 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FF9EA763FE7B1624FBECFFB1 (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723765 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FF96A75FFEBC1678FD01F873 (URL)
Taxonomic treatment: 10.5281/zenodo.17723769 (DOI)
Taxonomic treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1F4A87C7FFAAA75BFE75123BFCB3FCD4 (URL)
Dataset: 10.5281/zenodo.17723871 (DOI)
Dataset: 10.5281/zenodo.17723875 (DOI)
Dataset: 10.5281/zenodo.17723877 (DOI)
Is source of
Dataset: https://www.gbif.org/dataset/93d7e06a-650f-4cf1-bb93-29ca0b4f3026 (URL)

References

  • Brown N.E. 1914. Notes on the genera Cordyline, Dracaena, Pleomele, Sansevieria and Taetsia. Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) 1914 (5): 273-279. https://doi.org/10.2307/4118549
  • Brown N.E. 1915. Sansevieria. A monograph of all the known species. Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) 1915 (5): 185-261. https://doi.org/10.2307/4107465
  • Budweg H.-G. 2016. The inflorescences of the Sansevieria (Asparagaceae). Sansevieria Online 4 (2): 1. Available from http://www.sansevieria-online.de/pdf/article/a_421.pdf [accessed Oct. 2025].
  • Burkart M. & Scharf U. 2021. Sansevieria vanillosa, a name for a long known species from Tanzania, and a short overview on the subcapitate species. Sansevieria Online 9 (1): 4. Available from http://www.sansevieria-online.de/pdf/article/a_914.pdf [accessed Oct. 2025].
  • Burkart M., Benthin C., Heimann J.I.M., Holst K. & Weber A. 2023. Sansevieria Conference, September 12-13, 2022/ Potsdam. Sansevieria 50: 28-32.
  • Christensen H. & Olsen J.E.D. 2023. Introduction to phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data. In: Christensen H. (ed.) Introduction to Bioinformatics in Microbiology. Learning Materials in Biosciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45293-2_6
  • De Queiroz K. 2007. Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology 56 (6): 879-886. https://doi.org/10.1080/10635150701701083
  • Fiser Z., Aronne G., Aavik T., Akin M., Alizoti P., Aravanopoulos F., Bacchetta G., Balant M., Ballian D., Barazani O., Bellia A.F., Bernhardt N., Kharrat M.B.D., Douglas A.B., Burkart M., Calic D., Carapeto A., Carlsen T., Castro S. … & Zippel E. 2021. ConservePlants: An integrated approach to conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century. Research Ideas and Outcomes 7. https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.7.e62810
  • Forrest T. 2014. Sansevieria newtoniana (Asparagaceae), a new species in Uganda. Cactus and Succulent Journal 86 (2): 76-78. https://doi.org/10.2985/015.086.0205
  • Forrest T. 2017. Sansevieria rosulata (Asparagaceae), a new species in Uganda. Cactus and Succulent Journal 89 (6): 289-292. https://doi.org/10.2985/015.089.0607
  • Freiberg M., Winter M., Gentile A., Zizka A., Muellner-Riehl A.N., Weigelt A. & Wirth C. 2020. LCVP, The Leipzig catalogue of vascular plants, a new taxonomic reference list for all known vascular plants. Scientific Data 7: 416. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-00702-z
  • IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024. Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 16. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. https://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf
  • Koller A.L. & Rost T.L. 1988. Leaf anatomy in Sansevieria (Agavaceae). American Journal of Botany 75 (5): 615-633. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2444196
  • la Croix I. 2005. Two new species of Sansevieria Thunb. (Dracaenaceae) from the Flora Zambesiaca area. Kew Bulletin 59 (4): 617-620. https://doi.org/10.2307/4110922
  • la Croix I. 2010. Dracaenaceae. In: Timberlake J.R. & Martins E.S. (eds) Flora Zambesiaca 13 (2): 13-35. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Lauterbach D., Zippel E., Becker U., Borgmann P., Burkart M., Lang J., Listl D., Oevermann S., Heinken-Smidova A., Stevens A.-D., Tschope O., Weissbach S., Wohrmann F., Zachgo S. & Poschlod P. 2021. Gefahrdete Pflanzen erhalten - Wiederansiedlungen als Artenschutzmassnahme [Preserving endangered plant species - Reintroductions as a conservation measure]. Natur und Landschaft 96 (9/10): 475-481. https://doi.org/10.17433/9.2021.50153953.475-481
  • Martin C.E., Herppich W.B., Roscher Y. & Burkart M. 2019. Relationships between leaf succulence and Crassulacean acid metabolism in the genus Sansevieria (Asparagaceae). Flora 261: 151489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2019.151489
  • Mollel N.P., Yinger B.Y. & Sikawa R.A. 2024. Four new species of Sansevieria (Ruscaceae) from Tanzania. Sansevieria 55: 6-25.
  • Msofe N.K., Sheng L. & Lyimo J. 2019. Land use change trends and their driving forces in the Kilombero valley floodplain, southeastern Tanzania. Sustainability 2019 (11): 505. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020505
  • Newton L.E. 2015.A new species of Sansevieria in Kenya. Cactus and Succulent Journal 87 (3): 116-118. https://doi.org/10.2985/015.087.0302
  • Newton L.E. 2020. Sansevieria. In: Eggli U. & Nyffeler R. (eds) Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants, Monocotyledons, Vol. 2: 1353-1386. Springer, Berlin.
  • Pfennig H. 1981. Zur Systematik und Kultur einiger ostafrikanischer Sansevieria -Arten (Agavaceae). Botanische Jahrbucher fur Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 102 (1-4): 169-179.
  • RBG Kew 1952-2012. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.
  • Rouhan G. & Gaudeul M 2021. Plant taxonomy: A historical perspective, current challenges, and perspectives. In: Besse P. (ed.) Molecular Plant Taxonomy: Methods and Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology 2222: 1-38. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0997-2_1
  • Royal Horticultural Society 2015. RHS Colour Chart, 6th Ed. Royal Horticultural Society, London.
  • Rulkens A.J.H. & Baptista O.J. 2009. Field observations and local uses of the poorly known Sansevieria pedicellata from Manica province in Mozambique. Sansevieria 20: 2-7.
  • Scharf U. & Burkart M. 2021. Sansevieria pfennigii (Ruscaceae, Asparagales): Confirmation of existence, emendation of description, and tentative threat assessment. Phytotaxa 483 (1): 001-008. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.483.1.1
  • Schwerdtfeger M. 2009. Die Faszination der Sansevierien. Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten 60 (9): 239-246.
  • Soltis D.E., Soltis P. & Doyle J.J. 2012. Molecular Systematics of Plants II: DNA Sequencing. Springer Science & Business Media.
  • Su J.-X., Dong C.-C., Niu Y.-T., Lu L.-M., Xu C., Liu B., Zhou S.-L., Lu A.-M., Zhu Y.-P., Wen J. & Chen Z.-D. 2020. Molecular phylogeny and species delimitation of Stachyuraceae: Advocating a herbarium specimen-based phylogenomic approach in resolving species boundaries.Journal of Systematic and Evololution 58: 710-724. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12650
  • Sumari N.S., Cobbinah P.B., Ujoh F. & Xu G. 2020. On the absurdity of rapid urbanization: Spatiotemporal analysis of land-use changes in Morogoro, Tanzania. Cities 107: 102876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102876
  • Takawira-Nyenya R., Mucina L., Cardinal-McTeague W.M. & Thiele K. 2018.Sansevieria (Asparagaceae, Nolinoideae) is a herbaceous clade within Dracaena: inference from non-coding plastid and nuclear DNA sequence data. Phytotaxa 376 (2): 254-276. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.376.6.2
  • Thiers B. continuously updated. Index Herbariorum:A Global Directory of Public Herbaria and Associated Staff. New York Botanical Garden's Virtual Herbarium. Available from https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ [accessed 1 Oct. 2024].
  • van Kleinwee I., Larridon I., Shah T., Bauters K., Asselman P., Goetghebeur P., Leliaert F. & Veltjen E. 2022. Plastid phylogenomics of the Sansevieria Clade of Dracaena (Asparagaceae) resolves a recent radiation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 169: e107404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107404
  • Virzo de Santo A., Fioretto A. & Alfani A. 1982. The adaptive significance of growth form, leaf morphology, and CAM in the genus Sansevieria. Delpinoa 23-24: 307-323.
  • Webb R.H. & Newton L.E. 2017. Biogeography of the genus Sansevieria: Should plants without a known type locality be considered valid species? Sansevieria 36: 15-21.
  • Webb R.H. & Newton L.E. 2018. Sansevieria bhitalae R.H. Webb and L.E. Newton a new species in Central Tanzania. Sansevieria 37: 12-15.
  • Webb R.H. & Newton L.E. 2019. Three new species of Sansevieria in Kenya and Tanzania. Sansevieria 41: 10-17.
  • Webb R.H. & Yinger B. 2019. A new subspecies of Sansevieria trifasciata in Tanzania. Sansevieria 41: 2-4.
  • Yinger B. 2019. Observations of Sansevieria trifasciata subsp. sikawae in Tanzania.Sansevieria 41: 5-9.
  • Yinger B. 2021. The Tanzania Sansevieria Project. Sansevieria 44: 2-4.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2021a. In search of silver. Sansevieria 44: 5-7.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2021b. Rediscovering Sansevieria braunii Engl. and Krause. Sansevieria 44: 8-17.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2021c. Introducing Sansevieria vanillosa Burkart and Scharf. Sansevieria 44: 18-21.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2021d. Visiting the forgotten places: beyond lake Eyasi. Sansevieria 44: 22-28.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2021e. Sansevieria newtoniana T.G.Forrest in Tanzania.Sansevieria 45: 25-28.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2022a. Distinguishing Sansevieria robusta and S. ehrenbergii in the field in Tanzania. Sansevieria 48: 22-25.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2022b. Bloom sequence of Sansevieria braunii Engl. and Krause (YS 313) from the type location at Ujiji, Tanzania. Sansevieria 49: 17-19.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2023a. Sansevieria bhitalae R.H.Webb and L.E.Newton in Tanzania.Sansevieria 50: 6-16.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2023b. New reports of East African Sansevieria species in Tanzania.Sansevieria 51: 11-16.
  • Yinger B. & Sikawa R.A. 2023c. Six new species of Sansevieria in Tanzania. Sansevieria 52: 2-10.
  • Zaman W., Ayaz A. & Park S. 2025. Integrating morphological and molecular data in plant taxonomy. Pakistan Journal of Botany 57 (4): 1453-1466.