Dracaena stem

Palm trees are monocots that grow quite tall and thick, yet they lack
"normal" secondary growth. Dracaena is a monocot but not a true palm, as
palms lack the peripheral secondary thickening meristem such as is
found in Dracaena and Cordyline. This meristem produces both new
vascular bundles and ground tissue (parenchyma). Dracaena is an unusual
plant, in that the vascular bundles are surrounded by very prominent fibre
bundles. In this sense, Dracaena is not anomalous. The stems undergo a
specialized secondary growth, which manifests itself in the production of
additional parenchymatous elements. Their later growth pattern is termed
diffuse secondary growth, and consists mostly of a proliferation of ground
parenchyma cells and additional vascular bundles near the periphery.
 Anomalous Secondary Growth

The word anomalous means deviating from the general or common order or
type. Thus, the term, anomalous growth reflects a growth condition which
is not commonly seen and which is present in a limited number of families or
genera. This exercise explores a few examples of anomalous growth, bear
in mind, there are many to choose from! The examples here illustrate
aspects that are common - and include multiple cambia, included vascular
bundles, and multiple vascular cylinders.
Species of Dracaena have a secondary thickening meristem in their trunk, which is quite
different from the thickening meristem found in dicotyledonous plants and is termed
dracaenoid thickening by some authors[by whom?]. This characteristic is shared with members
of the Agavoideae and Xanthorrhoeoideae among other members of the Asparagales.

D. americana, D. arborea, D. cinnabari, D. draco, D. ombet, and D. tamaranae are commonly

known[by whom?] as dragon trees and grow in arid semi-desert areas. They are tree-sized with
stout trunks and stiff, broad-based leaves. The remaining species are known collectively[by
whom?]
as shrubby dracaenas. They are smaller and shrub-like, with slender stems and
flexible strap-shaped leaves, and grow as understorey plants in rainforests.

Dracaena plants are suitable for use as houseplants, being a top performer in NASA's clean
air study and tolerant to sparse watering.

References

"Genus: Dracaena Vand. ex L.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United

States Department of Agriculture. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2011-02-07.

Sunset Western Garden Book. 1995. pp. 606607. ISBN 0-376-03851-9.

http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Dracaena+

Chase, M.W.; Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.F. (2009). "A subfamilial classification for the
expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae".
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2): 132136. doi:10.1111/j.1095-
8339.2009.00999.x.

Search for "Dracaena", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2012-12-17

Engl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. (1902). "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families". Kew
Gardens. Retrieved 30 Jan 2016.

exoten-garten (2009). "Dracaena ellenbeckiana (Kedong Dracaena)". exoten-

garten.de.tl. Retrieved 30 Jan 2016.

Dave's Garden (2005). "Kedong Dracaena - Dracaena ellenbeckiana". Dave's Garden.

Retrieved 30 Jan 2016.

Paul Wilkin; Piyakaset Suksathan; Kaweesak Keeratikiat; Peter van Welzen; Justyna
Wiland-Szymanska (2013). "A new species from Thailand and Burma, Dracaena kaweesakii
Wilkin & Suksathan (Asparagaceae subfamily Nolinoideae)". PhytoKeys. 26: 101112.
doi:10.3897/phytokeys.26.5335.

"GRIN Species Records of Dracaena". Germplasm Resources Information Network.

United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
 Dracaena names. Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database.

12. "Fruit as source of red resin exuded between scales, used medicinally and as a dye
(one source of "dragon's blood"): Daemonorops didymophylla; Daemonorops draco;
Daemonorops maculata; Daemonorops micrantha; Daemonorops propinqua;
Daemonorops rubra" Terry C.H. Sunderland and John Dransfield. Species Profiles.
Ratans. http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/y2783e/y2783e05.htm

General references

Waterhouse, J. T. (1987). "The phylogenetic significance of Dracaena-type growth".

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 109: 129138.