Dieffenbachia seguine (Jacq.) Schott

ARACEAE
Dieffenbachia seguine (Jacq.) Schott
PUERTO RICO: Caribbean National Forest (Luquillo Experimental Forest): El Verde
Field Station: ca 1 km N of Rio Sonadora on Hwy. 186. Alt. 200 m. Roadside.
Erect herb with aboveground stem up to 1 m tall; stems glossy green, skunk-like odor when
cut; latex milky white. Petioles green & white mottled, sheathed 7/8 the length; blade medium
green above, lighter green below, midrib raised below, white & light green mottled. Several
infls. per node; penduncle short, green with pale green spots; spathe medium green with pale
green to white spots inside & outside, solid green apically, tightly rolled for 2/3 its length,
opening at top to expose male spadix, at this point green inside apically shading into almost
pure white; female flowers brown-yellow with white staminodes; scattered white sterile florets;
male spadix pale yellow when first exposed turning dirty pink at anthesis; pollen white or
cream-white; spathe filled with clear liquid. Insects collected from infls. at all stages; white
beetle[?] larvae mostly found in rotting male spadix.
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
Sue A. Thompson 3238
and I.K. Thompson
26 October 1985
02449223
HERBARIUM, CARNEGIE MUSEUM (CM), PITTSBURGH, PA
02449223