{{Short description|Genus of plants (spider plants)}} {{Automatic taxobox |taxon = Chlorophytum |image = ChlorophytumCapense.jpg |image_caption = ''Chlorophytum comosum'' 'Vittatum' – a variegated cultivar |authority = Ker Gawl.<ref>[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/472608#page/33/mode/1up Ker Gawler, John Bellenden 1807. Botanical Magazine 27: plate 1071 + 2 subsequent text pages] description in Latin, commentary in English; full-page color illustration of ''Chlorophytum inornatum''</ref> |type_species_authority = Ker Gawl. |type_species=''Chlorophytum inornatum'' |synonyms= {{Genus list|hidden=yes |Acrospira|Welw. ex Baker, illegitimate homonym |Asphodelopsis|Steud. ex Baker |Dasystachys|Baker, illegitimate homonym, not Oerst. (1859) |Debesia|Kuntze |Hartwegia|Nees |Hollia|Heynh. |Schidospermum|Griseb. |Verdickia|De Wild. }} |synonyms_ref=<ref name=powo>{{cite web |title=''Chlorophytum'' Ker Gawl. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:24132-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=8 March 2026}}</ref> }}
'''''Chlorophytum''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|l|ɒr|ə|ˈ|f|aɪ|t|əm|,_|ˌ|k|l|ɔː|-|,_|-|r|oʊ|-}},<ref name=jessie>''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607</ref>{{refn|{{Dictionary.com|accessdate=2016-01-23|Chlorophytum}}}}), sometimes colloquially referred to as the '''spider plants''', is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the Agavoideae within the Asparagaceae.<ref>{{citation |last=Stevens |first=P.F. |date=2001{{ndash}}2012 |title=Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Agavoideae |url=http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/orders/asparagalesweb.htm#Agavaceae }}</ref> The plants are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia, and Asia.<ref name=powo/><ref>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=106807 Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 205 <big>吊兰属</big> diao lan shu ''Chlorophytum'' Ker Gawler, Bot. Mag. 27: t. 1071. 1807. ]</ref><ref>[http://redlist.sanbi.org/search.php?sppsearch=Chlorophytum South African National Biodiversity Institute, Red List of South African Plants, search for ''Chlorophytum'']</ref><ref>[http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Chlorophytum Atlas of Living Australia, ''Chlorophytum'']</ref>
Depending on species, most ''Chlorophytum'' mature at about 10–60 cm (3"-12") in height, growing out from a central rosette of long, slender leaves of around 15–75 cm (5"-29") in length. The plants tend to have thick, fleshy, tuberous roots, about 0.5-2 cm (0.17"-0.75") thick. The flowers are small and usually white, produced on sparse panicles up to 120 cm (47") long.
In certain species, such as ''C. comosum'' (the ubiquitous 'spider plant'), the plants are known to reproduce vegetatively by producing plantlets—baby plants connected by an "umbilical" stem, sprouting from the side of the main mother-plant. On the ground, or in a wild setting, this vegetative growth habit enables vast swathes of the plant to colonize a single area, as the plantlets develop small roots to eventually anchor into the soil and spread the mass further. In a home or garden setting, these plants are often grown in hanging pots, on plant stands, high shelves or other elevated surfaces.
As the plant develops and throws off babies, or "pups", these may be optionally removed and propagated, either in a vessel of water for a time or directly planted into new substrate. Conversely, if the pups are allowed to remain connected to the mother plant and hang naturally, the appearance vaguely mimics spiders hanging by their silken thread—thus giving the plant the common moniker of "spider-plant". The plantlets will develop aerial roots when left attached to the mother plant, as a means of absorbing ambient humidity until they make contact with an organic substrate, or the ground.<ref name="jessie" />
''Chlorophytum borivilianum'' is a native of India, where it is grown for use as a medicinal plant.
<gallery> File:2006-12-09Chlorophytum07-03.jpg|Flower of ''C. comosum'' 'Vittatum' Image:2007-06-24Chlorophytum comosum03.jpg|Fleshy tuberous roots of ''C. comosum'' 'Vittatum' </gallery>
==Species== {{div col|colwidth=25em}} {{As of|2026|March}}, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:<ref name=powo/> *''Chlorophytum acutum'' <small>(C.H.Wright) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum affine'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum africanum'' <small>(Baker) Engl.</small> *''Chlorophytum alismifolium'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum alpinum'' <small>Benth. ex Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum altum'' <small>Engl. & K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum anceps'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum andongense'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum angulicaule'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum angustiracemosum'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum angustissimum'' <small>(Poelln.) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum ankarense'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum appendiculatum'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum applanatum'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum arcuatoramosum'' <small>R.B.Drumm.</small> *''Chlorophytum aridum'' <small>Oberm.</small> *''Chlorophytum arundinaceum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum asperum'' <small>J.C.Manning</small> *''Chlorophytum assamicum'' <small>D.Borah & A.P.Das</small> *''Chlorophytum basitrichum'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum baturense'' <small>K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum belgaumense'' <small>Chandore, Malpure, Adsul & S.R.Yadav</small> *''Chlorophytum benguellense'' <small>(Baker) Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum benuense'' <small>Engl. & K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum bharuchae'' <small>Ansari, Sundararagh. & Hemadri</small> *''Chlorophytum bifolium'' <small>Dammer</small> *''Chlorophytum blepharophyllum'' <small>Schweinf. ex Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum borivilianum'' <small>Santapau & R.R.Fern.</small> *''Chlorophytum bowkeri'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum brachystachyum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum bracteatum'' <small>Hua</small> *''Chlorophytum brevipedunculatum'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum breviscapum'' <small>Dalzell</small> *''Chlorophytum bulbinifolium'' <small>Hoell & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum burundiense'' <small>Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum calyptrocarpum'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum cameronii'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum camporum'' <small>Engl. & K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum capense'' <small>(L.) Voss</small> *''Chlorophytum caudatibracteatum'' <small>Engl. & K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum caulescens'' <small>(Baker) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum chelindaense'' <small>Kativu & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum chevalieri'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum chinense'' <small>Bureau & Franch.</small> *''Chlorophytum chloranthum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum clarae'' <small>Bjorå & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum collinum'' <small>(Poelln.) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum colubrinum'' <small>(Baker) Engl.</small> *''Chlorophytum comosum'' <small>(Thunb.) Jacques</small> *''Chlorophytum cooperi'' <small>(Baker) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum cordifolium'' <small>De Wild.</small> *''Chlorophytum crassinerve'' <small>(Baker) Oberm.</small> *''Chlorophytum cremnophilum'' <small>van Jaarsv.</small> *''Chlorophytum crispum'' <small>(Thunb.) Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum cyperaceum'' <small>(Kies) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum dalzielii'' <small>(Hutch. ex Hepper) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum debile'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum decaryanum'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum decipiens'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum delicatulum'' <small>Osborne, Vollesen & Bjorå</small> *''Chlorophytum dianellifolium'' <small>(Baker) H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum distichum'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum diwanjii'' <small>Mujaffar, A.P.Tiwari & Chandore</small> *''Chlorophytum dolichocarpum'' <small>Tamura</small> *''Chlorophytum ducis-aprutii'' <small>Chiov.</small> *''Chlorophytum elgonense'' <small>Bullock</small> *''Chlorophytum fasciculatum'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum fernandesii'' <small>(Poelln.) Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum filifolium'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum filipendulum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum fischeri'' <small>(Baker) Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum gallabatense'' <small>Schweinf. ex Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum galpinii'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum geayanum'' <small>(H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum geophilum'' <small>Peter ex Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum glaucoides'' <small>Blatt.</small> *''Chlorophytum glaucum'' <small>Dalzell</small> *''Chlorophytum goetzei'' <small>Engl.</small> *''Chlorophytum gothanense'' <small>Malpure & S.R.Yadav</small> *''Chlorophytum gracile'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum graminifolium'' <small>(Willd.) Kunth</small> *''Chlorophytum graniticola'' <small>Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum graniticum'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum graptophyllum'' <small>(Baker) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum haygarthii'' <small>J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans</small> *''Chlorophytum herrmannii'' <small>Nordal & Sebsebe</small> *''Chlorophytum heynei'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum hiranense'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum hirsutum'' <small>A.D.Poulsen & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum holstii'' <small>Engl.</small> *''Chlorophytum humbertianum'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum humifusum'' <small>Cufod.</small> *''Chlorophytum hypoxiforme'' <small>(H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum hysteranthum'' <small>Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum immaculatum'' <small>(Hepper) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum inconspicuum'' <small>(Baker) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum indicum'' <small>(Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Dress</small> *''Chlorophytum inornatum'' <small>Ker Gawl.</small> *''Chlorophytum intermedium'' <small>Craib</small> *''Chlorophytum keiskammaense'' <small>van Jaarsv., Hankey & Harrower</small> *''Chlorophytum kolhapurense'' <small>Sardesai, S.P.Gaikwad & S.R.Yadav</small> *''Chlorophytum kolliense'' <small>Soosairaj</small> *''Chlorophytum krauseanum'' <small>(Dinter) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum krookianum'' <small>Zahlbr.</small> *''Chlorophytum lancifolium'' <small>Welw. ex Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum laxum'' <small>R.Br.</small> *''Chlorophytum leptoneurum'' <small>(C.H.Wright) Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum lewisae'' <small>Oberm.</small> *''Chlorophytum limosum'' <small>(Baker) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum littorale'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum longifolium'' <small>Schweinf. ex Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum longiscapum'' <small>Dammer</small> *''Chlorophytum longissimum'' <small>Ridl.</small> *''Chlorophytum macrophyllum'' <small>(A.Rich.) Asch.</small> *''Chlorophytum macrorrhizum'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum macrosporum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum madagascariense'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum malabaricum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum malayense'' <small>Ridl.</small> *''Chlorophytum mamillatum'' <small>Elden & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum modestum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum molle'' <small>(Baker) Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum monophyllum'' <small>Oberm.</small> *''Chlorophytum namaquense'' <small>Schltr. ex Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum namorokense'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum nepalense'' <small>(Lindl.) Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum nervosum'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum nidulans'' <small>(Baker) Brenan</small> *''Chlorophytum nimmonii'' <small>Dalzell</small> *''Chlorophytum nubicum'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum nyasae'' <small>(Rendle) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum nzii'' <small>A.Chev. ex Hepper</small> *''Chlorophytum occultum'' <small>A.D.Poulsen & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum orchidastrum'' <small>Lindl.</small> *''Chlorophytum orchideum'' <small>(Welw. ex Baker) Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum palghatense'' <small>K.M.P.Kumar & Adsul</small> *''Chlorophytum parkeri'' <small>(Baker) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum parvulum'' <small>Chiov.</small> *''Chlorophytum paucinervatum'' <small>(Poelln.) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum pauciphyllum'' <small>Oberm.</small> *''Chlorophytum pauper'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum pendulum'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum peralbum'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum perfoliatum'' <small>Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum petraeum'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum petrophilum'' <small>K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum pilosicarinatum'' <small>(Poelln.) Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum polystachys'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum pseudocaule'' <small>Tesfaye & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum pterocarpum'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum pubiflorum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum pusillum'' <small>Schweinf. ex Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum pygmaeum'' <small>(Weim.) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum radula'' <small>(Baker) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum ramosissimum'' <small>Nordal & Thulin</small> *''Chlorophytum rangei'' <small>(Engl. & K.Krause) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum recurvifolium'' <small>(Baker) C.Archer & Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum reflexibracteatum'' <small>Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum restrictum'' <small>Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum rhizopendulum'' <small>Bjorå & Hemp</small> *''Chlorophytum rigidum'' <small>Kunth</small> *''Chlorophytum ruahense'' <small>Engl.</small> *''Chlorophytum rubribracteatum'' <small>(De Wild.) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum rutenbergianum'' <small>Vatke</small> *''Chlorophytum saundersiae'' <small>(Baker) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum scabrum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum senegalense'' <small>(Baker) Hepper</small> *''Chlorophytum serpens'' <small>Sebsebe & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum sharmae'' <small>Adsul, Lekhak & S.R.Yadav</small> *''Chlorophytum sikkimense'' <small>P.Rai</small> *''Chlorophytum simplex'' <small>Craib</small> *''Chlorophytum sofiense'' <small>(H.Perrier) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum somaliense'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum sparsiflorum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum sphacelatum'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum sphagnicola'' <small>Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum staudtii'' <small>Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum stenopetalum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum stolzii'' <small>(K.Krause) Weim.</small> *''Chlorophytum subligulatum'' <small>H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum subpetiolatum'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum suffruticosum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum superpositum'' <small>(Baker) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum sylvestre'' <small>Bardot-Vaucoulon</small> *''Chlorophytum tenerrimum'' <small>Peter ex Poelln.</small> *''Chlorophytum tetraphyllum'' <small>(L.f.) Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum tillariense'' <small>S.R.Yadav & Chandore</small> *''Chlorophytum tordense'' <small>Chiov.</small> *''Chlorophytum transvaalense'' <small>(Baker) Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum trichophlebium'' <small>(Baker) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum triflorum'' <small>(Aiton) Kunth</small> *''Chlorophytum tripedale'' <small>(Baker) H.Perrier</small> *''Chlorophytum tuberosum'' <small>(Roxb.) Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum ustulatum'' <small>(Welw. ex Baker) Meerts</small> *''Chlorophytum velutinum'' <small>Kativu</small> *''Chlorophytum vespertinum'' <small>Vollesen</small> *''Chlorophytum vestitum'' <small>Baker</small> *''Chlorophytum viridescens'' <small>Engl.</small> *''Chlorophytum viscosum'' <small>Kunth</small> *''Chlorophytum waibelii'' <small>K.Krause</small> *''Chlorophytum warneckei'' <small>(Engl.) Marais & Reilly</small> *''Chlorophytum zambiense'' <small>Bjorå & Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum zavattarii'' <small>(Cufod.) Nordal</small> *''Chlorophytum zingiberastrum'' <small>Nordal & A.D.Poulsen</small> {{div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons}}
{{AfricanPlants|Chlorophytum}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q1771926}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Asparagaceae genera Category:Agavoideae