Anthurium pentaphyllum var. bombacifolium (Schott) Madison

  • Family

    Araceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Anthurium pentaphyllum var. bombacifolium (Schott) Madison

  • Primary Citation

    Selbyana 2: 278. 1978

  • Description

    Author : Tom Croat

    Description: Epiphyte; stems creeping up tree trunks; internodes 2-9 cm long; cataphylls caduceus or persisting as coarse fibers. Leaves erect-spreading; petioles 19-44 cm long, ca. 5 mm diam., terete; blades digitately compound with 5-11 leaflets, moderately thin, leaflets oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 13-30 cm long, 2.5-9 cm wide, the medial leaflet equilateral, the lateral leaflets inequilateral, abruptly to cuspidate-acuminate at apex, cuneate-attenuate at base; midrib raised above and below; primary lateral veins 6-8 per side in each leaflet, sunken above, raised below; lesser veins obscure above, raised below; collective vein arising from base, 6-14 mm from margins, ± straight to apex of leaflet. Inflorescence erect; peduncle 1-6 cm long; spathe pale green to purple, lanceolate to ovate, moderately thick, 6-10 cm long, 1-2.8 cm wide, early deciduous; spadix pale purple-violet, 2.2-10(-15) cm long, 8-20 mm diam. at base, tapering at apex. Infructescence erect-spreading; berries red to dark red-violet, ± globose, 5-8 mm diam.; seeds ovoid to oblong, ca. 5.3 x 4 mm.

    Common names: None recorded.

    Distribution: Southern Mexico to Colombia from sea level to 1000(-1250) m, introduced in Hawai.

    Ecology: In moist and wet forests. This is one of the most ecologically variable species of Anthurium in Central America.

    Phenology:

    Pollination:

    Dispersal:

    Taxonomic notes: The species is a member of section Dactyllophyllium and is most easily confused with A. kunthii Poepp., which has similar leaves, but A. kunthii differs in having a longer peduncle, three-quarters the length of the petiole, and in having a long, slender, greenish spadix and lateral leaflets which arc more or less equilateral at the base.

    Conservation:

    Uses: This species is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental.

    Etymology: The infraspecific epithet refers to the resemblance of the leaves of this variety to those of Bombacaceae.

  • Sorry, no descriptions available for this record.