Syngonium podophyllum Schott
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Araceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Vine attaining 10 m in length, climbing by means of adventitious roots that it produces in the area of the nodes. Stems cylindrical, glaucous, 1-2 cm in diameter, producing milky latex when wounded. Juvenile plants with hastate leaves; adult plants with dimorphic leaves, the basal leaves hastate, the distal leaves digitate, with 3-11 leaflets, coriaceous, united or free at the base, the basal leaflets smaller and auriculate at the base, the middle leaflets 16-38 x 6-17 cm, obovate, elliptical, or lanceolate, with the apex acuminate; petioles 15-60 cm long, almost cylindrical. Inflorescences in groups of 4-11, ascendant; peduncles 8-9 cm long, slender; spathe ca. 10 cm. long, convolute at the base to form a tube, the limb cream-colored on the inner surface, green outside, concave, ephemeral; spadix whitish, sessile, cylindrical, with a constriction between the area of pistillate flowers and the staminate flowers. Syncarp ovoid, red, reddish orange, or yellow, 3-5.5 cm long.
Phenology - Collected in flower in February, July and August.
Conservation Status - Exotic, naturalized, rather common.