Sansevieria francisii (?) identification confirmation

[Colin Walker]

Not to be outdone Mat I've repotted my plant of Sansevieria phillipsiae.

I've only had this for 5 months or so and already it's become pot bound and produced a new stolon.

So here's the before.

IMG_3250.jpeg (50.02 KiB) Viewed 970 times

And here's the after. I wanted to give it growing space so it's now in a 27 cm diameter pan. Looks like this clone is going to be fast growing, which is great 'cos I've never grown this sp. before and I have full habitat data for this Somalian collection.

[MatDz]

What a great specimen! I find the stolon producing Sansevierias extremely attractive in form, but I absolutely foresee space issues with them - I wouldn't have the heart to split them too often! If my S. francisii will indeed produce more after flowering I'll be in trouble!

[Colin Walker]

Here's a pic of one of my smaller specimens of S. francisii just to show how floppy and untidy it can get, even as a small specimen.

Also notice the new offset top right. Most sansevierias flower and then offset, whereas this species has a strong tendency to randomly produce offsets at all sorts of odd angles.

Note too the leaf pointing downward lower right is doing that because it's producing a root at the base of the leaf, forcing it to bend downwards.

As far as I recall the main rosette here has yet to flower.

Finally apologies for the dirty pot. I've scrubbed at the scale and can't remove it from this painted terracotta pot.

[MatDz]

It still has its charm Thank you for a warning, I can partially see this already in the two flowering offshoots - they are a tad untidy, as you described it.

[Colin Walker]

I've just been watering some small plants in a terrarium and noticed that another S. francisii has done something interesting. Plant (can't remember what it was) in the LH pot has died and been taken over. So, sansevierias will rule the world.

Now, should I repot the two into one pot or leave well alone for now?

[MatDz]

I'd find a suitable cutting board in the kitchen, to keep with the kitchen utensils theme from another post!

[el48tel]

Here's a pic of one of my smaller specimens of S. francisii just to show how floppy and untidy it can get, even as a small specimen.

Also notice the new offset top right. Most sansevierias flower and then offset, whereas this species has a strong tendency to randomly produce offsets at all sorts of odd angles.

Note too the leaf pointing downward lower right is doing that because it's producing a root at the base of the leaf, forcing it to bend downwards.

As far as I recall the main rosette here has yet to flower.

Finally apologies for the dirty pot. I've scrubbed at the scale and can't remove it from this painted terracotta pot.

IMG_3478.jpeg

Try Kilrock Gel ..... for limescale removal. Use it on empty pot. H&S warning .... highly acidic .... but damned effective .... get it from Lakeland .... the kitchen type shop.

[MatDz]

And a side question - are S. self-fertile, or am I out of luck again?

The only resource I found is the following, which mentioned self-fertility under stress conditions - shall I start scorching the offshoots bit by bit so they decide to cooperate?

I just surprises me that the topic of autogamy (self-fertility) in
Sansevieria has over-shadowed the possible rediscovery of a long lost
species (Sansevieria varians N.E. Brown) and that the latter has gotten no
notice.

The genus Sansevieria has flowers that are adapted to pollination by
nocturnal moths. Many times pollination may occur in plants outdoors
without the grower observing it. There is always the possibility of the
resulting seeds being of hybrid origin when two ore more species or
different clones are in flower at the same time.

Yes, it is true that many species that are normally out crossers can become
self-fertile under stress but you should not read too much into that. The
resultant plants from inbreeding are often much weaker and less disease
resistant than those from pollination between different plants in a
population. I have noticed autogamy in several succulents in different
plant families, often under less than ideal conditions. I have even been
able to induce it the "Spider Plant" Chlorophytum comosum. It is a strategy
by which a population in the wild can re-establish itself from a single
individual survivor after some disaster. The resultant plants become part
of the re-established out crossing population.

One should not expect all the species in the genus to be self-fertile,
however.

from https://www.hort.net/lists/inactive/san ... 00026.html (outside-of-EU VPN needed...)

[Colin Walker]

Not to be outdone on the repotting front Mat, here's my latest. So, the two small pots have nicely fitted into this small terracotta rectangular pan that's 20 cm lengthwise. The pot came I think with some herbs or something in years ago, and as is my usual practice I've drilled holes in the bottom to make it into a proper pot.

No paint here though - I like the rough and ready clay.

[Colin Walker]

And a side question - are S. self-fertile, or am I out of luck again?

The only resource I found is the following, which mentioned self-fertility under stress conditions - shall I start scorching the offshoots bit by bit so they decide to cooperate?

I just surprises me that the topic of autogamy (self-fertility) in
Sansevieria has over-shadowed the possible rediscovery of a long lost
species (Sansevieria varians N.E. Brown) and that the latter has gotten no
notice.

The genus Sansevieria has flowers that are adapted to pollination by
nocturnal moths. Many times pollination may occur in plants outdoors
without the grower observing it. There is always the possibility of the
resulting seeds being of hybrid origin when two ore more species or
different clones are in flower at the same time.

Yes, it is true that many species that are normally out crossers can become
self-fertile under stress but you should not read too much into that. The
resultant plants from inbreeding are often much weaker and less disease
resistant than those from pollination between different plants in a
population. I have noticed autogamy in several succulents in different
plant families, often under less than ideal conditions. I have even been
able to induce it the "Spider Plant" Chlorophytum comosum. It is a strategy
by which a population in the wild can re-establish itself from a single
individual survivor after some disaster. The resultant plants become part
of the re-established out crossing population.

One should not expect all the species in the genus to be self-fertile,
however.

from https://www.hort.net/lists/inactive/san ... 00026.html (outside-of-EU VPN needed...)

Mat, I've flowered dozens of Sansevieria species over 20 or so years but have hardly ever had fruit develop. So my gut feeling is that they're mainly self sterile, but this isn't really based on any sound evidence.

What I must try to do in the future is a bit of cross pollinating when more than one spike is available.

I've just done a quick trawl of literature and haven't as yet come up with a definitive statement.

What I can say for sure is that most (maybe all) species are nocturnal flowerers and the vast majority have very fragrant scents akin to hyacinths.

Also each flower only lasts a single night.