Whatever the plant may be, just to bring to your notice that, its actually wrong to say "INCORRECTLY NAMED AS". The best word to describe such name is "SYNONYM" !! Please mail me the pic [email protected]. I will try to send it to friend of mine and another Araceae expert, Dr. David Scherberich at France. 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 »
