Alocasia heterophylla

Last updated

Alocasia heterophylla
Alocasia heterophylla (Philippines) 0003.jpg
Alocasia heterophylla in the Philippines
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Genus: Alocasia
Species:
A. heterophylla
Binomial name
Alocasia heterophylla
Synonyms [1]
  • Alocasia manilensisEngl.
  • Alocasia warburgiiEngl.
  • Caladium heterophyllumC.Presl
  • Colocasia heterophylla(C.Presl) Kunth

Alocasia heterophylla is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, and Polillo in the Philippines. [1]

Contents

Description

A. heterophylla grows to around 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) tall. It usually bears around 3 to 5 leaves. The petiole is 35 centimetres (1.15 ft) long. The leaves, like its specific name implies, are highly variable in shape, even in one individual. They are usually triangular, sagittate (arrow-shaped), to hastate (spear-shaped). The leaf attachment can be deeply peltate (the inner margins of the back lobes are fused together behind the petiole attachment), shallowly peltate, or non-peltate. The leaves range in size from 20 to 27 centimetres (7.9 to 10.6 in) long. The leaf margins are entire or shallowly sinuate (wavy). [2] [3]

A. heterophylla is very similar to Alocasia ramosii and Alocasia boyceana , which are also endemic to the Philippines and are all grouped with A. heterophylla under the "Heterophylla Group" of the genus Alocasia . It can be distinguished from the other two by having fewer primary lateral veins (3 to 4) that curve towards the distal end of the leaf, the widely separated secondary veins, a gradually constricting spathe, and a conspicuously broader submarginal vein at the leaf margins. Both A. ramosii and A. boyceana are also always non-peltate, while A. heterophylla can sometimes have peltate leaves in mature specimens. [2]

Habitat

Alocasia heterophylla are restricted to limestone-rich areas of the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, and Polillo. They are usually found near beaches at elevations of 29 to 200 metres (95 to 656 ft) above sea level. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Alocasia</i> Genus of flowering plant

Alocasia is a genus of rhizomatous or tuberous, broad-leaved, perennial, flowering plants from the family Araceae. There are about 90 accepted species native to tropical and subtropical Asia and eastern Australia. Around the world, many growers widely cultivate a range of hybrids and cultivars as ornamentals.

Nepenthes saranganiensis is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Philippine island of Mindanao. It is noted for its extremely decurrent leaf attachment that extends a large distance down the stem, often continuing into the next internode.

<i>Nepenthes graciliflora</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes graciliflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines. Long considered a synonym of N. alata, it was restored as a separate species in 2013 by Martin Cheek and Matthew Jebb. It has been recorded from the islands of Bohol, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Panay, Samar, and Sibuyan, and following the redelimitation of N. alata is the most widespread Nepenthes species of the Philippines. It is known from mossy, submontane forest, generally at 800–1,280 metres (3,000–4,000 ft) altitude, though the type specimen from Sibuyan was collected at only 300 m (1,000 ft).

<i>Alocasia sanderiana</i> Species of plant

Alocasia sanderiana, commonly known as the kris plant or Sander's alocasia, is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to Northern Mindanao in the Philippines, but is commonly grown as an ornamental plant worldwide. It is classified as critically endangered in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

<i>Livistona tahanensis</i> Species of palm

Livistona tahanensis is a species of medium-sized palm tree of the genus Livistona, found on only one mountain top in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. In Malay the palm is known as Tahan serdang, or as daun tau.

<i>Nepenthes peltata</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes peltata is a tropical pitcher plant known only from the upper slopes of Mount Hamiguitan on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is characterised by a peltate tendril attachment and conspicuous indumentum. The species typically produces ovoid pitchers with a prominent basal crest and large nectar glands on the lower surface of the lid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaf</span> Photosynthetic part of a vascular plant

A leaf is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, flower, and fruit collectively form the shoot system. In most leaves, the primary photosynthetic tissue is the palisade mesophyll and is located on the upper side of the blade or lamina of the leaf but in some species, including the mature foliage of Eucalyptus, palisade mesophyll is present on both sides and the leaves are said to be isobilateral. Most leaves are flattened and have distinct upper (adaxial) and lower (abaxial) surfaces that differ in color, hairiness, the number of stomata, the amount and structure of epicuticular wax and other features. Leaves are mostly green in color due to the presence of a compound called chlorophyll that is essential for photosynthesis as it absorbs light energy from the sun. A leaf with lighter-colored or white patches or edges is called a variegated leaf.

<i>Nepenthes hamiguitanensis</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes hamiguitanensis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to a single peak on the Philippine island of Mindanao, where it grows at elevations of 1200–1600 m above sea level. Once thought to be a natural hybrid between N. micramphora and N. peltata, this plant is now considered a species of possible hybridogenic origin. It produces squat upper pitchers that vary greatly in pigmentation, from red speckled to yellow throughout.

Petrocardium is an extinct genus of monocot plants in the family Araceae. At present it contains only two species Petrocardium cerrejonense and Petrocardium wayuuorum, the type species. The genus is solely known from the Middle to Late Paleocene, Cerrejón Formation deposits in Colombia.

Montrichardia aquatica is an extinct species of monocot plant in the family Araceae. M. aquatica is related to the living species M. arborescens and M. linifera. The species is solely known from the Middle to Late Paleocene, fossil-rich Cerrejón Formation in La Guajira, northern Colombia.

<i>Alocasia cucullata</i> Species of flowering plant

Alocasia cucullata is a species of flowering plant in the arum family known by the common names Chinese taro, Chinese ape, Buddha's hand, and hooded dwarf elephant ear. It is kept as an ornamental plant.

Saurauia clementis is a species of flowering plant in the family Actinidiaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Elmer Drew Merrill, the American botanist who first formally described the species, named it after Mary Strong Clemens, the American botanist who collected the specimen that he examined.

Saurauia papillulosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Actinidiaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines where it is known as papayang. Elmer Drew Merrill, the American botanist who first formally described the species, named it after the distinctive abundant small bumps, or papillae, on the underside of its leaves.

Saurauia sparsiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Actinidiaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It was discovered on Mount Santo Tomas by Adolph Daniel Edward Elmer, the American botanist who first formally described the species, and named it after the small number, or sparse, flowers in its inflorescences.

The Philippine Taxonomic Initiative (PTI) is a private Philippine research institute and non-profit organization founded in 2018, located in the Philippines.

<i>Alocasia sinuata</i> Species of flowering plant

Alocasia sinuata, commonly known as Alocasia quilted dreams or Alocasia 'Bullata', is a flowering plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to the limestone forests of Samar, Leyte, and parts of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

<i>Alocasia nycteris</i> Species of plant

Alocasia nycteris, commonly known as the bat alocasia or the batwing alocasia, is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to island of Panay in the Philippines. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant.

<i>Alocasia micholitziana</i> Species of plant

Alocasia micholitziana, commonly known as the green velvet taro or green velvet alocasia, is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant worldwide.

<i>Alocasia zebrina</i> Species of plant

Alocasia zebrina, commonly known as the zebra plant or zebrina alocasia, is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, and Alabat in the Philippines. It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant worldwide. It is also locally known as gabing tigre in Tagalog. It is nationally listed as a threatened species and collection of A. zebrina from the wild is illegal in the Philippines.

Alocasia scalprum, the Samar lance, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to Samar island, the Philippines. Well known from cultivation as a houseplant in the Philippines, and introduced to aroid enthusiasts as Alocasia cv. Samar Lance in 1984, it was not formally described as a species until 1999. Its glossy, lance-shaped leaves with embossed veins take on a blue sheen when mature. It is similar in appearance to Alocasia heterophylla.

References

  1. 1 2 "Alocasia heterophylla'[' (C.Presl) Merr". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 Hay, A (1999). "The genus Alocasia (Araceae-Colocasieae) in the Philippines". The Garden's Bulletin, Singapore. 51 (4): 1–41.
  3. 1 2 Medecilo, Melanie P.; Madulid, Domingo A. (2013). "A Review of the Taxonomy and Taxonomic Characters of Philippine Alocasia (Schott) G. Don (Araceae)". Philippine Journal of Science. 142 (3): 145–157.