Philodendron rudgeanum Schott
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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
Species Description - Loosely climbing hemiepiphytes, usually climbing straight up side of tree trunks to ca. 4 m before branching and flowering. Stems with internodes 5-20 cm X 5-7 mm, weakly glossy, olive-green, drying yellow-brown to dark brown, irregularly and acutely striate. Leaves: petioles 5-10 cm long, sheathing throughout, the sheath spreading, to 1 cm wide; blade moderately inequilateral (one side ca. 1 cm narrower), narrowly elliptic to oblong-elliptic, broadest at middle or slightly above middle, 11-23 x 4.3-9.7 cm, acute to cuneate and abruptly ending at base, semiglossy above, matte below; primary lateral veins 8-12 per side. Inflorescences 1 per axil, the peduncle 1-2.2 cm X 3 mm diam., mostly obscured by sheath; spathe 8.5-10.5 cm long, barely constricted above tube, pale green, with conspicuous reddish-brown resin droplets on inside of tube at anthesis; spadix stout, 8.7-11 cm long, weakly exserted forward at anthesis, with 1-3 cm of staminate portion remaining exserted beyond end of spathe after anthesis, the pistillate portion 3.7-4.3 cm X 8-9 mm, the staminate portion moderately stubby, 5.3 X ca. 1 cm, obtuse at apex.
Distribution and Ecology - Fl (Feb, P rudgeanum flowers later than P. placidum); abundant in most areas of the forest on the lower trunks of moderately large trees.