Monographs Details:
Authority:
Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.
Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.
Family:
Araceae
Araceae
Description:
Species Description - Deeply rooted rhizomatous herbs to 1.5 m tall, with usually a single leaf. Rhizomes 1-3.5 cm diam., very elongate vertically and extending 20-30 cm into sandy soil, soft and fragile, bearing roots along length. Leaves: petiole 60-150 cm long, longer than blades, mottled or variegated in a snakelike pattern, dark purplish green, mottled with short streaks of white (as brush strokes), less white-flecked toward apex, sometimes white at base, spongy; blade in juveniles entire, hastate, in adults simple and entire when young, deeply pinnately divided with age, 30-60 X 20-35 cm, the lateral lobes bifurcate at apex (the youngest adult blades with but a single sinus between anterior and posterior lobes), thinly coriaceous. Inflorescences erect, usually appearing before leaf, long-pedunculate, held higher than leaf, the peduncle to 1.3 m long; spathe to 18 cm long, lanceolate and prominently spiraled toward apex (forming 5 or 6 spirals), greenish white to olivegreen abaxially, yellow-green adaxially except sometimes purple along margins, weakly convolute at base; spadix to 2.5 cm long, purplish, barely extending above convolute portion. Pistils early-exserted. Fruits few, irregularly rounded, white on sides, purplish and flattened at apex, ca. 1 X 1 cm. Fl (Feb, Mar, May, Jul), fr (Feb, Apr), both flowers and fruits seen in populations in Feb; rare, thus far found only along sandy banks of black-water stream near Eaux Claires at ca. 300 m alt.
Species Description - Deeply rooted rhizomatous herbs to 1.5 m tall, with usually a single leaf. Rhizomes 1-3.5 cm diam., very elongate vertically and extending 20-30 cm into sandy soil, soft and fragile, bearing roots along length. Leaves: petiole 60-150 cm long, longer than blades, mottled or variegated in a snakelike pattern, dark purplish green, mottled with short streaks of white (as brush strokes), less white-flecked toward apex, sometimes white at base, spongy; blade in juveniles entire, hastate, in adults simple and entire when young, deeply pinnately divided with age, 30-60 X 20-35 cm, the lateral lobes bifurcate at apex (the youngest adult blades with but a single sinus between anterior and posterior lobes), thinly coriaceous. Inflorescences erect, usually appearing before leaf, long-pedunculate, held higher than leaf, the peduncle to 1.3 m long; spathe to 18 cm long, lanceolate and prominently spiraled toward apex (forming 5 or 6 spirals), greenish white to olivegreen abaxially, yellow-green adaxially except sometimes purple along margins, weakly convolute at base; spadix to 2.5 cm long, purplish, barely extending above convolute portion. Pistils early-exserted. Fruits few, irregularly rounded, white on sides, purplish and flattened at apex, ca. 1 X 1 cm. Fl (Feb, Mar, May, Jul), fr (Feb, Apr), both flowers and fruits seen in populations in Feb; rare, thus far found only along sandy banks of black-water stream near Eaux Claires at ca. 300 m alt.