Monstera
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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.
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Family
Araceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Genus Description - Vines or appressed hemiepiphytic climbers. Juvenile plants terrestrial with elongate internodes and mostly ovate blades, greatly modified when climbing, sometimes with leaves tightly appressed to climbed surface (shingle leaves). Preadult plants with shorter internodes, usually climbing or pendent. Adult plants usually appressed climbers with short internodes, sometimes scandent. Roots usually slender. Stems often somewhat flattened on one side, densely rooting at nodes, usually on flattened surface only. Leaves: petiole amplexicaul, sheathing for 1/6 to whole length, the sheath persistent or deciduous; blade membranous to coriaceous, mostly ovate to oblong-elliptic, often oblique and inequilateral, entire or pinnatifid, frequently fenestrate in 1-4 series per side; midrib sunken above, usually thicker than broad below; primary lateral veins sunken above, prominently raised and whitish below; interprimary veins straight or branched, especially toward margins; tertiary veins distinct. Inflorescences much shorter than leaves, 1-several per axil; peduncle shorter or longer than spathe; spathe usually promptly deciduous (sometimes persisting when dry), coriaceous, caviform, orbicular to naviculiform, usually white to pinkish or yellowish; spadix sessile, white to yellow, cylindroid, usually sterile at base. Flowers densely aggregated in several spirals, perfect, naked, protogynous; stamens 4, extrorse, pollen emerging in viscid threads; pistils oblong, prismatic, truncate at apex; style conical; stigma linear, curved or straight. Infructescences green, white, yellow or orange. Berries with stylar portion deciduous, exposing seeds. Seeds globose to oblong; embryo macropodial, green or blue.