Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Kenya hyacinth

Family: Asparagaceae (Asparagus)

Distribution: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda

Habitat: Shaded dry tropics.

National red list: Least Concern

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Comments: A particularly rewarding Sansivieria that regularly sends up a large flower spike that is hyacinth scented in the evening. This species is used as a fodder by farmers during droughts around Kijabe area – Kenya. Leaf banding varies from very bright and evident markings to faint or no bands on the plants growing in the shade in the field. Leaf size also varies much, depending on a number of factors, such as water availability and soil. In his revision of this genus Brown (1915) stated that S. dooneri was closely related to S. parva, though distinguishing it by “its less evident stem and less erect habit, the leaves being much more recurved; they do not have a very distinct petiole, and their subulate points are usually much shorter; also the colour is of a much darker and dull green, with very inconspicuous pale markings”. However these two species grow together, with the type localities are not very far apart - near Gilgil River and in the Kedong Valley – within 30–40 km of each other and both in the Rift Valley. After careful study and comparison, it was decided that the two are actually one species exhibiting variation due to microhabitat factors.