Botany
• The plant is a small, slender shrub growing up to 2 meters, with wiry spreading stems. Leaves are opposite or whorled, elliptic or oblong-elliptic and cuspidate. Blade is thin, glossy, deep green with numerous, irregular small, yellow spots, with entire margins. Flowers are greenish. Fruit is a red berry.
• The variety D. surculosa var. surculosa has a racemose inflorescence. D. surculosa var. capitata flowers in a capitate or headlike inflorescence. D. godseffiana 'Florida beauty' has leaflets almost entirely covered by creamy-white blotches. D. surculosa 'Friedman' has elliptic, olive green leaves with cream blotches and a broad ivory center band.
Distribution
Native to Congo.
Recently introduced to the Philippines.
Uses
Folkloric
• No known medicinal folkloric use in the Philippines.
• Dracaena produces a bright red resin - dragon's blood - used medicinally in ancient times.
Studies
• Steroidal Saponins / Cytotoxicity:
(1) Phytochemical study isolated nine steroidal saponins, including three new bisdesmosidic spirostanol saponins–surculosides A, B and C and a new bisdesmosidic furostanol saponin. The isolated saponins were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. (2) Further search for steroidal compounds isolated two new 3,5-cyclofurostanol saponins.
Availability
Cultivated. |
