Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Need ID for this philodendron, 1 by bwilliams

bwilliams wrote:
No no this is much similar to a Monstera the odd group. Their are forms in asia and south america that fall under similar groups. They are in different groups but very similar in south america you have Monsteras and in asia you have rhaphidophoras and Amydrium and other odd groups like these. They are all similar to philodendrons.

Armondo I have a very odd aroid quest if your interested in trying to find something extremely odd and rare. Years ago when I first started growing aroids I went to a nursery in mid florida. They were mainly a cycad farm and the main collector was really into odd cycads. He took us to his property were he also had some odd aroids he had collected most were from the 60s when he was deep in the amazon. He had three philodendrons growing on a tree. He offered me all three at 10.00 each a cutting. I took two. The third one looked so small and delicate I decided I would wait for it to grow up at the next visit before taking a cutting. This quick decision will haunt me the rest of my life. The plant looks very similar to the amydrium you have shown above but imagine a miniture form with even thinner leaves. The vines were so small they would grow between the bark of the tree. I would say around pencil lead thick stems. Now all of this would make me think it was some odd monstera but the most unusual thing about this plant is it had small thorns on the stems. I am almost certain 95% it is a aroid. I have no idea what else it could be. The next year you can guess it the plant died it aparently was very sensitive to cold. He had said it died back every year for years but the next winter got it. He also said he gave some cuttings to some friends and that he could track down the plant. I have yet been able to visit him but from all my email he seems unable to show me even a picture of the plant. I have told this story to three of the leading aroid botanist and each said no plant exist? If so it is a new species or a new aroid group completely. If you want his name and would be willing to tack this sucker down I can give you the info. I picture would really be interesting as someone might be able to ID it or at least have proof that it existed.


Here is a pic of a mature Amydrium