Alocasia sanderiana

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Alocasia sanderiana
Alocasia sanderiana or Kris Plant.jpg
A cultivated A. sanderiana
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Genus: Alocasia
Species:
A. sanderiana
Binomial name
Alocasia sanderiana

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.

Contents

Etymology

The species is named after the botanist Henry Frederick Conrad Sander.

Description

Alocasia sanderiana is also known as the kris plant because of the resemblance of its leaf edges to the wavy blade of the kalis sword (also known as kris or keris). It is a tropical perennial, with upright leaves, usually growing to a height of 2 ft (60 cm) long. [2]

It usually has a single to a few leaves, interspersed with papery cataphylls. The leaves are a deep glossy dark green to blackish-green, often with large white to yellowish veins and margins. It has three to four primary veins, usually arranged opposite each other. The secondary veins emerge from the primary veins at a wide angle. The underside of the leaf is usually (but not always) reddish to purple. The leaves are about 12–16 in (30–40 cm) long and 6–8 in (15–20 cm) wide. They are sagittate (arrow-shaped) ranging from oblong-ovate to broadly lanceolate-ovate. The margins are deeply undulate to sub-pinnatifid. [2] [3]

It has creamy-white inflorescences (usually paired) that are about 6 in (15 cm) long, made of a green and white spathe that covers the tiny flowers. Female flowers are grouped at the lower part of the inflorescence, whereas the male flowers are at the top. The rhizome of A. sanderiana is vertically placed and is known as root stock. The fruits, orange-red berries, are not edible.

A. sanderiana can be distinguished from similar sympatric Alocasia species in that its leaves are peltate - the petiole is attached to the lower surface of the leaves, and the inner leaf margins of the lobes are fused at a width of 5 mm (0.20 in) or more. It can be distinguished from Alocasia micholitziana (which is also peltate and also endemic to the Philippines), in that the latter has leaves with a velvety (not glossy) texture that do not have cataphylls at the base. [4] [2] [3]

Uses

A. sanderiana is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for its large dramatic foliage. In nontropical climates, it is used as a house plant. It is also used in making nanomaterials to fight bacteria in vitro. [5]

Cultivation

Alocasia plants are cultivated in pots as indoor plants in a substrate of sod, peat, humus and sand (2:2:3:2) with moss or pieces of charcoal added. In spring and summer give a liquid compound fertiliser 2 times a month. Alocasia needs extra light in winter; it grows better with high air humidity. Ambient air humidity is maintained at 80-85%. [6] In spring and summer, the Alocasia needs regular watering and frequent spraying. Multiply by grafting, dividing rhizomes or sowing seeds in spring in a warm place. [7] In winter the temperature needs to be relatively high - not lower than 17 °C for all the species described, in summer the optimum temperature is 21 °C. In domestic conditions, water abundantly during the growing season as soon as the soil surface in the pot dries out, [8] from autumn watering is reduced, and in winter moisten the soil only after a day or two after the top layer of substrate dries out. The soil should not be allowed to dry out, but excessive moisture is also extremely harmful. Any water that has leaked into the tray should be poured out a quarter of an hour after watering. [9]

Conservation

Alocasia sanderiana is critically endangered in the wild. Harvesting wild specimens of A. sanderiana is illegal in the Philippines and is punishable with six to ten years imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 to 1,000,000. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

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<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.

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

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

Alocasia melo is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to Sabah state in Malaysia. It grows on ultramafic soils. In the houseplant trade it is often sold as "Alocasia rugosa" due to its highly rugose leaves.

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<i>Alocasia longiloba</i> Species of plant in the family Araceae

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Alocasia chaii is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to Sarawak state, Malaysia. Occasionally cultivated for its coriaceous leaves that remain peltate even when mature, it is considered obscure even by Alocasia enthusiasts and is very rarely found in commerce.

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<i>Macodes sanderiana</i> Species of orchid

Macodes sanderiana(Kraenzl.) Rolfe is a species of South East Asian jewel orchid mostly recorded from New Guinea but is also found in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. This species has a long history of cultivation in Europe since the early 20th century and is prized for its ornamental leaves which are the largest in its genus. The leaves are dark green, the upper surface covered in an intricate network of veins in colors ranging from bright green to copper. In contrast, flowers are small and pallid so are often removed in cultivation. In nature, M. sanderiana grows in rainforests on the forest floor or lithophytically out of rock crevices. This species survives at a broad range of altitudes from close to sea-level, up to the lower boundary of the cloud forest. Exudates from the leaves of this orchid are traditionally used in New Guinea as eye drops for the treatment of myopia. M. sanderiana has not been assessed for the IUCN red list, however, as recently as the 1980’s this species was common in parts of its range within New Guinea.

References

  1. Medecilo, M.P.; Ong, R.G. & Amoroso, V.B. (2008). "Alocasia sanderiana". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . IUCN. 2008: e.T133707A98840843. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T133707A3873252.en .
  2. 1 2 3 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; Yao, George C.; Madulid, Domingo A (2007). "A new species of Alocasia (Araceae: Colocasieae) from Panay Island, Philippines". Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 1: 815–818.
  4. Merrill, Elmer Drew (1912). A Flora of Manila. Manila :Bureau of Printing. p. 132.
  5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2016-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Alocasia. Large tropical leaves". global.flowers. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  7. "How to Grow and Care For Alocasia Polly". enterneverland.com. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  8. "Alocasia Plant Care – Florida Grow Guide". troystropics.com. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  9. "Alocasia Reginula 'Black Velvet' Care Guide (2022)". gardenpals.com. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  10. Grana, Rhia D. (24 September 2020). "Poachers, beware: Collecting these 10 plant species from the wild is against the law". ANCX. ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved 25 December 2021.