| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 2012 |
| Authors: | Bogner, J., Croat T. B. |
| Journal: | Willdenowia. Mitteilungen aus dem Botanischen Garten und Museum Berlin-Dahlem. Berlin-Dahlem |
| Volume: | 42 |
| Start Page: | 269 |
| Pagination: | 272 |
| ISSN: | 1868-6397 |
| Keywords: | aroids, botanical garden, Colombia, Philodendron geniculatum, Philodendron scherberichii, taxonomy |
| Abstract: | Philodendron geniculatum is described as a species new to science and illustrated. This species has been in cultivation for decades in the USA, Europe and Asia (Taiwan), but has not flowered until recently. It is characterised by a conspicuous geniculum on the apex of the subterete petiole, by an elliptic leaf blade with a thick, whitish midrib, many parallel primary lateral veins on each side, an auriculate base and a cuspidate apex, as well as by persistent red cataphylls drying brown soon and becoming fibrous later. P. geniculatum has a single inflorescence with a striking spathe, outside burgundy-red in the lower part and intensively red in the upper part. The species is morphologically closest and probably related to P. scherberichii, from which we delimit it. |
| URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3372/wi.42.42212 |
| DOI: | 10.3372/wi.42.42212 |
| Full Text | This new Philodendron species flowered in April 2012 in cultivation in the Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg for the first time after decades of thriving in vegetative condition. Earlier treatments with gibberellin acid were without any success, the reason for its recent flowering after such a long time is therefore unclear. According to Graf (1963: 193, 1982: t. 245, 2423), this species was introduced from Colombia by the Alberts & Merkel Nursery in Florida (11580 Hagen Ranch Rd., Boynton Beach, FL, 33437, USA), but the exact collection locality and the date of introduction are not given. The species was first depicted by Graf (1963) as “Philodendron(?) ‘Jet Streak’ (species C)”, indicating some doubt about its placement in that genus. Later on, it was even cultivated under the name “Rhodospatha ‘Jet Streak’”, but Graf (1982) also mentioned explicitly that it may belong to another genus. Probably it was treated under the genus Rhodospatha because of the presence of a conspicuous geniculum, which is a typical feature of this genus but rare in Philodendron (Fig. 1A). For us, it was always clear that this species was a true Philodendron and not a Rhodospatha, but the latter name was kept elsewhere for this plant in cultivation. Now we are glad to describe correctly this handsome and by now reasonably well-known species. |
A new species of Philodendron (Araceae)
Taxonomic name: