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woodnative

Photo- I.D. Syngonium like plant

woodnative
13 years ago

Does anybody know what this is? It seemed to be relatively common in the jungle in the Amazonian side of Ecuador. I THINK I MAY have seen it or something similar on the western cloud jungles of Ecuador also. It reminds me of Syngonium (Neph....?), but I don't believe that is native there and I don't believe the plant in question is an escapee. The leaves, especially on juveniles, have a slight silver/gray to them but only subtly. {{gwi:395128}}

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/Woodnative/100_0258.jpg[/IMG]

Comments (6)

  • exoticrainforest
    13 years ago

    I asked Dr. Tom Croat of the Missouri Botanical Garden to take a look at your photo. Tom wrote the most recent revision on Syngonium species. He responded, "It is indeed a Syngonium but I don�t know it specifically. It is likely to be a juvenile form, perhaps even of Syngonium atrovirens." The only problem is that species is found in Central America and is not noted as having been found in Ecuador. You may have found a new species or simply discovered the area of the species is wider than was previously known.

    Every time Tom does a new collection trip in Ecuador he finds at least 25 previously unknown aroid species. His current backlog of species to describe for science is around 500 species.

    Steve

  • woodnative
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Steve-
    Thank you for responding. That is interesting that he believes this to be Syngonium. It seemed relatively common, so I am surprised it has not yet been scientificially described. Ecuador is an incredibly awesome country. Around every roadbend is a different climate and different vegetation. Even the popular tourist areas......Banos, Mindo, etc. are full of interesting and beautiful biota not to mention the buildings and history in the cities like Quito.

  • exoticrainforest
    13 years ago

    If you know the location of this specimen I would suggest you visit it again and look for plants that climbed higher in the trees. By doing so you may be able to get photos of a more adult leaf which will give better clues to the true species' name. I would suggest you collect more specimens and carefully photograph all the surfaces of the specimen. By not only photographing and documenting them as well as counting the leaf veins, taking good notes about the petiole, noting the position of the collective vein and the spacing of the nodes and internodes on the stem you can help a scientist determine if it has been described. In fact, we can do so ourselves by using the LUCID program on CATE Araceae at the Kew in London.

    You are absolutely correct, Ecuador is a marvelous place and I would venture that likely only half of the species in the country have been formally described, Tom and botanist Pete Boyce suspect that there are almost as many aroid species left to be described as are now known.

    This is a beautiful specimen and I would love to grow it. If you know the guys at Ecuagenera I would suggest you show it to them since they have many plants in their collection that are yet to be described.

    I have received three from Ivan and Pepe in the past few years that have turned out to be unknown species and Tom has now given one the designation Philodendron Croat 101488 which puts in on the way to becoming a described specie. You can find the story of Croat 101488 on the net.

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: Philodendron Croat 101488

  • exoticrainforest
    13 years ago

    For those that will "scold" me, I know I left the "s" off species in the previous post. I was typing fast and even though I did a spell check that is also a word, just not applicable to plants.

    Steve

  • woodnative
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Steve-
    Hopefully I will get back there again, but it will probably be a few years if I do.......I am in NJ! This guy seemed somewhat common, so it is probably possible to find a more mature specimen.
    If you have not traveled there yourself, take time to do so. There are many tourists from the states and from Europe.

  • exoticrainforest
    13 years ago

    I was last in Ecuador in 1986. I'd love to go again but there is so much I want to do!

    Steve

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