I think the plant is Epipremnum pinnatum. Regards Pankaj
On Sep 17, 2:58 pm, anupam sarmah <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 > > ... > > read more »
