Excellent! Now-a-days internet has really become very useful. 20 years back, can you think of gathering so much of info within such a short time?
anupam On Sat, Sep 17, 2011 at 12:13 PM, Madhuri Raut <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you Anupamji > On the net I found the following interesting info about this plant > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma Hook. f. > > > > Incorrectly as Amydrium tetrasperma > > Common names: Amydrium 'Ginnie', Philodendron "Ginny", Mini monstera, > > Miniature monstera, Philodendron imbe Ginny, Epipremnum "Ginny" > > Mini split-leaf Philodendron > > This species is not a Philodendron, Monstera, Epipremnum nor Amydrium > species > > > > > > A member of the aroid tribe Monstereae, Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is a > native of Thailand and Malaysia that was identified to science in 1893. Based > on the information available, Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is somewhat more > closely related to the genus Monstera than Philodendron as some discussions > on the internet attempt to imply. However, neither genus is closely > related. Aroid expert Julius Boos explains, "The genus Monstera and all > its relatives produce blooms with a bisexual spadix ,male and female flowers > throughout the length of the spadix, while the Philodendrons and their > relatives Homolamena and Furtadoa produce blooms with a unisexual spadix > with female flowers at its base with sterile and male flowers above the > female zone, which makes them very far apart and not close relatives even > though they may appear alike!" > > Neither Philodendron nor Monstera species are found naturally outside > Central America, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean since they are > NeoTropical species. The NeoTropics is defined as Mexico, Central > America, South America, the Caribbean and the southern tip of Florida. The > genus Rhaphidophora is not found naturally in North or South America but > would then be a SE Asian equivalent with three Asian relatives including > members of the genera Epipremnum, Amydrium, and Scindapsus. > > > > Postings can be found on the internet as well as in the offerings of > internet plant sellers identifying this species as Amydrium tetrasperma, > Amydrium 'Ginnie', Philodendron "Ginnie", Philodendron imbe "Ginny", and > Epipremnum "Ginny". All are scientifically incorrect. The use of single > quotes implies a registered cultivar which also appears to be incorrect. > Numerous > discussions have been held on aroid forums regarding some of these names, > and they are still commonly used on sites such as eBay. A variegated form > is commonly available but the variegation is not natural in this species and > is reported to have been induced by a chemical process during the tissue > culture process. (see photo, below) Growers have reported the > variegations vanishes as the plant grows since the chemicals eventually wear > off. > > > > Tissue culture (known as TC) is the asexual propagation of fragments of a > suitable parent plant in order to produce identical clones of it in large > quantity. In the cells of the parent are grown in a laboratory in nutrient > solutions until they form a mass of tissue. These tissues then get different > chemicals to induce roots and leaves. Once developed the tiny plants are > transplanted into a potting medium and finally grown by the commercial plant > growing industry. > > > > On several of the popular garden websites plant collectors repeatedly refer > to R. tetrasperma as a miniature form, or "mini" Monstera deliciosa while > others continue to insist it is a form of Epipremnum. This note from > expert aroid grower Michael Mattlage appears to sum up the correct > conclusion, "I know there was some debate a while back on whether the plant > labeled Amydrium, Philodendron, etc. etc. 'Ginny' was either a form of the > variable Epipremnum pinnatum or Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. The experts > finally agreed with the later." As indicated by Michael, the species > does also appear similar to the adult form of Epipremnum pinnatum, but is > only a related species. > > > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is not a miniature form of Monstera and in > February, 2007 aroid botanist Peter Boyce responded with this answer to a > question posted regarding the "miniature Monstera deliciosa" theory on the > forum Aroid l, "In the 90s while working on Rhaphidophora I investigated the > so-called miniature form of M. deliciosa in cultivation in Europe and as > named in Birdsey's Cultivated Aroids as 'Dwarf Ceriman' and these plants > were without exception Rhaphidophora tetrasperma from peninsular Malaysia > and southern Thailand. At the time Josef (Bogner) had a large one > flowering in Munich and it was from here that I obtained inflorescences to > confirm the generic Id. Material from this clone was later used by one of > my students Tam Shey May for molecular work on the Monstereae and embedded > in the Rhaphidophora clade as sister to R. nicolsonii from Pen. Malaysia > while M. deliciosa remained clustered with Stenopsermation and a > Rhodospatha. Thus morphologically (ovules, seeds) and on the molecular > European 'Dwarf' Deliciosa' is a Rhaphidophora." > > > > Some estimates indicate as many as one out of every eight plants known to > science have natural variability within their leaf forms. They also > "morph" as they grow. This link offers a more complete explanation of > natural variation within aroid species. Once you complete reading the > information on this page please read this page on Natural Variation for a > non-technical explanation of how and why plants vary in appearance. On > that page you wil find photos that demonstrate how aroids change their > appearance as they mature. > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is scientifically described as being a "small to > medium sized" heterophyllous aroid. A heterophyllous species is one that > is capable of having very dissimilar leaves on the same specimen. A > deeply pinnatifid aroid, R. tetrasperma is easily confused with a small > Monstera deliciosa, but solely by appearance. As Julius explained, > scientifically they are not closely related. > > > > Rather than being stiff and leathery (coriaceous) as are the leaves of > Monstera deliciosa, the leaves are relatively thin and flexible. Pinnatified > species are those that produce leaves somewhat similar in shape to a feather > or a palm frond. This species is not related to any palm. The juvenile > form of Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is a shingling plant similar in appearance > to Rhaphidophora korthalsii as well as Rhaphidophora nicolsonii but may be > distinguished by a knowledgeable observer based on the petiole sheath and > leaf lamina characteristics. > > > > Plants that begin their growth appressed are found growing in a > heteroblastic growth form known as "shingling" since they have the vague > appearance of the shingles or tiles on a roof. The juvenile leaves have > this appearance due to very short petioles. Heteroblasty is the > progressive change in growth from the juvenile shingle leaf to the > intermediate adult and finally into the adult form that stand away from the > host as a result of longer petioles and exhibit extreme changes in shape > along the way. Shinglers grow extremely close to their host tree as > appressed epiphytes. Appressed is "to press". > > > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is quoted on the International Aroid Society > website as being rare in nature and is restricted to only a few sites on the > Malaysian peninsula near Kelantan and Perak as well as southern Thailand. > Very little has been published regarding this species in either scientific > or commercially available literature. In the rain forest of SE Asia the > plant is a vine (liane) on the trees growing to a height of 5 meters (16 > feet). The plant is said to very rarely grow as a terrestrial species > preferring to climb. > > > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma clings to its host with a sparse quantity of > clasping roots from the nodes and internodes. The leaves can be ovate to a > combination of oval and lanceolate. A lanceolate leaf blade is one that > is spear shaped. The blades are not heavily coriaceous (leathery) and > measure from 10 to 34cm (4 to 13.3 inches). Since it is known to be a > heterophyllus species, leaf variation should be expected. Heterophylly > just means a plant can have very different appearing leaves on a single > specimen. > > > > Regardless of the common belief a species is determined by the shape of the > leaf, that factor is rarely the final determination, especially in aroids. > Leaf variation among aroid species is extremely common and the shape of a > leaf alone cannot be used to accurately determine a species. An > examination of the petiole supporting the leaf (commonly called the stem) > will show it has a shallow groove. In its natural range the species is > found in dry to moist or wet forest as well as on sandstone and granite to > an elevation of 190 to 760 meters (625 to 2500 feet). The maximum leaf > blade of our specimen in the photo above measures 16.5cm (6.5 inches). > > > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is now commonly sold on eBay as a miniature > variegated Monstera, but most sellers have simply been mislead into > believing the plant they sell is something other than its true identity. In > a recent conversation with one eBay seller I pointed out the variegated form > does not appear to be natural and was likely induced with chemicals during > the tissue culture process. Tissue culture is where the DNA of a parent > plant is extracted and prepared in a laboratory and eventually grown into > tissue that can be potted eventually producing an artificially cloned > specimen. > > > > Since other sellers had told him he was foolish for accepting my opinion > I recommended we ask aroid botanist Peter Boyce in Malaysia for his opinion > whether or not the plant was a Rhaphidophora or a Monstera. Pete is the > recognized authority on the aroids of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. This > is Pete's response once he was shown the photo to the right, "this is > 100% Rhaphidophora tetrasperma Hook.f., a species indigenous to Peninsular > Malaysia and the far south of the Thai peninsula and with which I am very > familiar. This species in its green (wild) form has been in cultivation at > least since 1950 and is mentioned (but not illustrated) in Birdsey’s ‘The > Cultivated Aroids’. By the way I have seen exactly the same variegated > form of this plant for sale in Bangkok; talking to the Thai growers they > also agree that it is a somatic mutation induced in tissue culture. Similar > mutations are being generated in tissue culture with Spathiphyllum, > Homalomena, and Philodendron and usually involve the introduction of benign > colour-breaking virus." > > > > Just because you find a plant that has a beautiful variegated coloration > does not mean it is natural. Worse, once the plant matures the > variegation will likely begin to slowly vanish since it was purposely > infected with a harmless virus to induce the coloration as Pete explained in > his response.. > > > > As an aroid, Rhaphidophora tetrasperma produces a small inflorescence with > a spathe that is described as "canoe-shaped" measuring to 3.5cm (1.4 > inches). The spathe is scientifically described as "stiffly fleshy" and > drops from the spadix rapidly. The fruit that forms on the spadix of > Rhaphidophora species each contain a number of small ellipsoid seeds. > > > > Within the genera that form the tribe Monstereae, seed characteristics are > frequently the only way a botanist can discern which genus any species may > properly belong. Monstereae includes the genera Amydrium, Rhaphidophora, > Epipremnum, Scindapsus, Monstera, Alloschemone, Rhodospatha, and > Stenospermation. According to the excellent aroid text Aroids, Plants of > the Arum Family by author Deni Bown, "Rhaph has many small oblong seeds; > Amydrium has globose to heart-shape Epipremnum has a few large, > kidney-shaped seeds; and Scindapsus has rounded to slightly kidney-shaped > seed." Some of the genera are so closely related the only way to divide > them is by the number of seeds produced. Within the genus Rhaphidophora > there are approximately 100 known species. > > > > The genus Rhaphidophora is found from the island of Borneo, SE Asia through > India and into Africa, however the species Rhaphidophora tetrasperma has a > very limited natural range in only Malaysia and parts of Thailand. The > term "British India" used in the scientific description is not referring to > what we now know as the country of India. > > > > Our specimen was a gift from collector Bryan Stover and is potted in > extremely porous soil containing orchid potting bark and charcoal. The > mixture is kept constantly damp in mottled light. A word of caution, if > you like this species, control where it grows! One very knowledgeable > grower warned the species can become invasive in a greenhouse. Easily > cultivated, the species can be very invasive despite the fact it is > considered moderately rare in nature. > > > > My sincere thanks to Lucinda Lay of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in > London for providing a copy of Pete Boyce's scientific treatment of the > species. For those who would like to read the original document, you can > find the work, which is published in 'Gardens Bulletin Singapore', Title: > Rhaphidophora Hassk. (Araceae-Monsteroideae-Monstereae) in Peninsular > Malaysia, and Singapore Volume 52, 1999, at the bottom of this page. > > My thanks also to Pete who often provides assistance to collectors and > growers as well as information to this author. > > > > > > Join the International Aroid Society: > http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Join%20IAS.html > > > > > > > > The scientific description of Rhapidophora tetrasperma > > > > > > > > 15. Rhaphidophora tetrasperma Hook.f. > > > > Rhaphidophora tetrasperma Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6 (1893) 548; Ridl., > Mat. Fl. Malay.Malay Penins. 3 (1907) 44--45; Engl. & K. Krause in Engl., > Pflanzenr. 37 (IV.23B) (1908) 48; Ridl., Fl. Malay.Malay Penins. 5 (1925) > 124 - Type: Malaysia, Perak, Scortechini 169b (K, holo). > > > > Distribution: Peninsular Malaysia (Kelantan, Perak). Also), distributed > in and southern Thailand. > > > > Small to medium-sized, rather slender, semi-pachycaul, heterophyllous liane > to 5 m; seedling stage a non-skototropic shingling juvenile shoot; pre-adult > plants very rarely forming terrestrial colonies; adult shoot architecture > comprised of elongated, weakly clinging, physiognomically monopodial, > flexuous, moderately leafy, non-flowering stems and weakly adherent or, more > commonly, free lateral flowering stems; stems smooth, without prophyll, > cataphyll and petiolar sheath fibre, internodes to 14 x 1 cm, separated by > prominent straight leaf scars; flagellate foraging stems not observed; > clasping roots sparsely produced from nodes and internodes; feeding roots > stout, produced singly or in pairs from most nodes of free shoots; leaves > weakly spiral-distichous; cataphylls and prophylls membranous, soon drying > and falling; petiole shallowly grooved, 10--34 x 0.2--0.4 cm, smooth, apical > and basal genicula slightly prominent; petiolar sheath prominent, extending > to base of apical geniculum, soon falling to leave a prominent, slightly > corky scar; lamina sparsely to + entirely deeply pinnatipartite to nearly > pinnatisect, occasionally with large rhombic perforations adjacent to > mid-rib, 12--42 x 9.5--38 cm, broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, thinly > coriaceous, base truncate or very weakly cordate, apex acute to acuminate, > individual pinnae up to 6 cm wide; mid-rib prominently raised abaxially, > slightly sunken adaxially; primary venation pinnate, raised abaxially, > slightly impressed adaxially; interprimaries diverging from primaries, much > less prominent, slightly raised abaxially, very slightly impressed > adaxially; secondary venation weakly reticulate, very slightly raised; > tertiary venation barely visible; inflorescence few together, subtended by > two prominent cataphylls, these soon falling; peduncle terete, 2--2.5 x > 0.3--0.4 cm; spathe canoe-shaped, 3--3.5 x 0.8--1.5 cm, stiffly fleshy, > apparently falling swiftly, white with adherent black cataphyll remnants; > spadix cylindrical, sessile, inserted slightly decurrently on peduncle, > 3--3.5 x 0.75 - 1 cm, white; stylar region well developed, mostly > rhombohexagonal, c.c. 2 x 2 mm, truncate, margins deflexed; stigma elliptic, > longitudinally orientated, c.c. 1 x 0.2 mm; anthers exserted at anthesis; > infructescence not observed. > > > > Habitat: Disturbed rather dry to moist or wet forest on sandstone and > granite. 190--760 m altitude. > > > > Notes: As noted under above, R. tetrasperma most closely resembles R. > nicolsonii but may be distinguished readily on petiole sheath and leaf > lamina characters. > > > > Other specimens seen: PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: Kelantan, Tanah Merah, Pergau > Dam site, logging road to Sg Long Intake 1, Boyce 652 (K, KEP); Perak, Bidor > Corner SFN s.n. (SING). > > > Regards > > Bhagyahsri > > On Sat, Sep 17, 2011 at 11:58 AM, anupam sarmah <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Rhaphidophora (Araceae)? >> >> anupam >> >> >> On Sat, Sep 17, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Madhuri Raut <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> request for identification >>> >>> >>> Date/Time-Sep 2011 >>> >>> >>> Location- Place, Altitude, GPS-Pune >>> >>> >>> Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type-Garden >>> >>> >>> Plant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- Potted plant >>> >>> >>> Height/Length- about 2 feet >>> >>> >>> Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size- green with holes >>> >>> >>> Flowers & Fruits not seen >>> >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Bhagyashri >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> *Anupam Sarmah Ph.D. I *Head, Assam Landscapes I WWF India I Tezpur, >> Assam >> +91 3712 260132 (O) I+91 94354 85789 (M) I Skype: anupamsarmah >> >> > -- *Anupam Sarmah Ph.D. I *Head, Assam Landscapes I WWF India I Tezpur, Assam +91 3712 260132 (O) I+91 94354 85789 (M) I Skype: anupamsarmah
