sansevieria

sansevieria (san-suh-vee-EER-ee-uh, san-suh-VEER-ee-uh) - n., any of several dozen tropical agaves (formerly all of genus Sansevieria, now part of genus Dracaena) with showy mottled sword-shaped leaves.


Including, cultivated as an ornamental, snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata, formerly Sansevieria trifasciata) aka mother-in-law's tongue:


Thanks, WikiMedia!

Native to Africa, especially Madagascar, and southern Asia. The name appears in English shortly after 1800, taken from the former genus, which was named in 1794 using an alternate spelling after San Severo, the principality of Prince Raimondo di Sangro (1710–71), in honor of his scientific achievements.

---L.