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Dracaena hyacinthoides (L.) Mabb.

Iguanatail

Native records: 10 botanical areas

Cape Provinces, Kenya, Malawi, 7 more areas

See all areas

Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Dracaena hyacinthoides

A rhizomatous geophyte of seasonally dry tropical climates. Native to South Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and elsewhere.

This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.

Distribution areas

  • Anguilla

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Antigua and Barbuda

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Bahamas

    • BahamasIntroduced

  • Barbados

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Bermuda

    • BermudaIntroduced

  • Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Cambodia

    • CambodiaIntroduced

  • Cayman Islands

    • Cayman Is.Introduced

  • Costa Rica

    • Costa RicaIntroduced

  • Cuba

    • CubaIntroduced

  • Dominica

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Dominican Republic

    • Dominican RepublicIntroduced

  • Equatorial Guinea

    • Equatorial GuineaIntroduced
    • Gulf of Guinea Is.Introduced

  • Eswatini

    • SwazilandNative

  • Grenada

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Guadeloupe

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Haiti

    • HaitiIntroduced

  • Honduras

    • HondurasIntroduced

  • Jamaica

    • JamaicaIntroduced

  • Kenya

    • KenyaNative

  • Malawi

    • MalawiNative

  • Martinique

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Mexico

    • Mexico SoutheastIntroduced

  • Montserrat

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Mozambique

    • MozambiqueNative

  • Panama

    • PanamaIntroduced

  • Puerto Rico

    • HaitiIntroduced
    • Puerto RicoIntroduced

  • Saint Barthélemy

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Saint Lucia

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Saint Martin (French part)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    • Windward Is.Introduced

  • Sao Tome and Principe

    • Gulf of Guinea Is.Introduced

  • Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • South Africa

    • Cape ProvincesNative
    • KwaZulu-NatalNative
    • Northern ProvincesNative

  • Tanzania, United Republic of

    • TanzaniaNative

  • Trinidad and Tobago

    • Trinidad-TobagoIntroduced

  • Tunisia

    • TunisiaIntroduced

  • United States of America

    • FloridaIntroduced

  • Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Viet Nam

    • VietnamIntroduced

  • Virgin Islands (British)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Virgin Islands (U.S.)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntIntroduced

  • Zambia

    • ZambiaNative

  • Zimbabwe

    • ZimbabweNative

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • BWh Arid, desert, hot
  • BSk Arid, steppe, cold
  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • BWk Arid, desert, cold
  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer

The same climate occurs in 184 areas worldwide, 163 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Dracaena hyacinthoides is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.44, right column, line 10

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Iguanatail

Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Dracaena

Other species in Dracaena

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Anguilla · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Antigua and Barbuda · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bahamas · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Barthélemy · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bermuda · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Barbados · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Costa Rica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cuba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cayman Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Dominica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Dominican Republic · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guadeloupe · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Equatorial Guinea · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Grenada · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Honduras · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Haiti · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Jamaica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Kenya · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cambodia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Kitts and Nevis · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Lucia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Martin (French part) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mozambique · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Montserrat · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Martinique · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Malawi · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Panama · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Puerto Rico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sao Tome and Principe · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Eswatini · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sint Maarten (Dutch part) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Trinidad and Tobago · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Tunisia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Tanzania, United Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States of America · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Virgin Islands (British) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Virgin Islands (U.S.) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Viet Nam · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    South Africa · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Zambia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Zimbabwe · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information

  • Photograph of Dracaena hyacinthoides

    Pierre Joseph Redouté (1759-1840) Peter A. Mansfeld for the filtred image. · Public domain · File page