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sandy02256

help me identify 'rare' monstera

sandy0225
13 years ago

I'm a monstera with no name. I was given to my owner only identified by the donor as a "rare" monstera. I can't be found on the internet by my owner. My leaves are about 12" long and I'm about 3 years old. My leaves did change from a heart shape to the shape you see now since I was young. I grow into a long vine rapidly and I'm very easy to take care of. So far my stems are usually about 1" in diameter with long aerial roots like a split leaf philodendron. See if you can help give me a name!

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: monstera leaf picture

Comments (3)

  • exoticrainforest
    13 years ago

    Sorry, this is not a Monstera but at least appears to be a hybridized form of Philodendron bipinnafolium.

    P. bipinnafolium is a very common plant species although there are a few natural hybrids found in certain areas of South America that are extremely rare including one known popularly as Philodendron 'joepii'.

    It is extremely variable in its form and can take on many shapes, even on a single plant. These changes are known as ontogeny and a link to explain that further can be found on the page I am linking below.

    Monstera have a unique feature which can easily be found. Just run your finger up the petiole (the stalk that supports the leaf) and Monstera will possess a "bump" found right at eh point where the petiole inserts into the leaf blade. That "bump" is known as a geniculum and allows the leaves to rotate slightly in order to find brighter light.

    Monstera typically also have a canal running down their petioles (known as being canaliculate) as well as petiolar sheaths at the base of the petiole. A petiolar sheath appears to be somewhat like a pair of "wings" on each side of the petiole at the point where the petiole (stalk) grows from the bud on the stem (central axis of the plant). These wings are not permanent and fall off the plant shortly after the leaf emerges.

    Sorry if any of this is technical but that is the way plant genera and species are separated from each other. I will also be glad to give you a link to a list of understandable definitions if you would like to read them.

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: Philodendron bipinnafolium

  • exoticrainforest
    13 years ago

    Sorry for the typo above! I ran a spell check but it missed that one.

    Two other important thoughts:

    Some will almost invariably come back and say your plant is Philodendron panduriforme which is scientifically incorrect Your plant is often sold on eBay and the internet as Philodendron panduriforme but the two species are completely different. That entire subject is explained in the link above.

    Many people don't understand how a plant can have multiple leaf forms on a single plant or how the shapes of the leaves can change so much as a plant grows. All that is explained in my link on Natural Variation and Ontogeny which is linked below.

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: Natural variation and ontogeny

  • sandy0225
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yes, this does appear to be the right plant. Thanks for the information. It was very interesting.
    I was searching on the internet under monstera, I didn't even look for philodendron pictures or I surely would have found this one. It's a great plant, easy to grow and easy to propagate, so it's very nice to have a correct name to put with it.
    If you want to see how leaves change, grow a silver queen type, or a monstera from seed as I did. Amazing, you wouldn't even know they were the same plants as they mature.

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