Monstera oreophila (Araceae)
Stem epiphytic, climbing,1.5 – 2.5 cm thick, internodes 2 – 3 cm long. Petiole: a little longer than blade, 35 – 55 cm long, sheath membranaceous, marcescent; blade ovate, 35 – 50 cm long, 17 – 30 cm wide, base broadly truncate, apex shortly mucronate, entire or perforated, perforations 1 – 2-seriate on each side; primary lateral veins numerous, patent, 25 – 50 on each side, parallel, 5 – 10 mm distant from one another; secondary lateral veins subparallel. Peduncle: 20 – 30 cm long. Spathe: salmon coloured, 15 – 22 cm long. Fruiting spadix: white, 15 – 20 cm long, 3 – 4 cm thick, sessile, cylindric, obtuse.
Madison 1977: 54. Translated from Latin by S.Mayo, 2 July 2009.
Monstera oreophila, like M. siltepecana, has a salmon- or rose-colored spathe and deciduous petiole sheath wings; it differs in having a peduncle twice as long, yellowish white instead of dark green fruit and leaves with numerous parallel veins rather than a few reticulated ones. Monstera epipremnoides is separated by its pale yellow spathe and leaves regularly pinnatifid rather than with entire margins. The most distinctive feature of M. oreophila is the large number (25 – 50) of parallel primary lateral veins only 5 – 10 mm apart.
Madison 1977: 54.