Had this one a couple of years and still haven't managed to get it identified. There's actually two 'clumps' of plants in the pot, it's not just the one. They seem to mostly grow like that, in clumps. Not sure if it's because of tuber division, or numerous pups produced, or just lots of seed having fallen together and germinated.
The small leaves are fairly plain but the larger ones are narrowly tri-lobed. However, there's some variation in leaf shape between different clumps of plants. But they're still based on the tri-lobed theme. Except for really small ones which tend to be more sword shaped.
The plants die back to small tubers in the dry season then re-appear after the first rains for the season. I put mine under the automatic sprinklers at the first hint of rain so that they were ahead in growth. One clump produced a flower while I was away so I only managed to see it wither on my return. Now this one is producing a flower. This will give me a better idea of how long the flowers last.
I've lots more photos of the plants in the wild, the flowers at various stages, and variations in leaf shape but will post them later on.
Mid November photo. The plant on the edge of the pot flowered first. The middle one is now bigger than the one on the edge and it's the one with the flower developing now.
I bet Larriann could ID it for ya.
Could it possibly be a sagittaria? possibly sagittaria sagittifolia
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hlasek.com/foto/sagittaria_sagittifolia_10373.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hlasek.com/Sagittaria_sagittifolia_10373.html&h=500&w=638&sz=67&tbnid=xphAAiYwIYSALM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsagittaria%2Bsagittifolia&usg=__RxD7s9rmjHy5ZfAlqfR3_KGy5ZA=&ei=ea47S5yJL86ztgfNpaGECQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image&ved=0CBMQ9QEwBg
Catzgalore, it's a local native, Lariann wouldn't have come across it and wouldn't recognise it. I did get a tentative ID from one of THE aroid experts (from a photo) who believes it's a Typhonium and probably a new undescribed species. He has described 8 out of our 11 recorded Typhoniums so has a good knowledge of them.
Themoonhowl, I checked but definitely not. This one is an aroid, Sagittaria is in a different family. The leaves are very similar but the flowers are totally different. That Sagittaria is an interesting plant, quite a common vegetable in some parts of the world. I hadn't heard of it before.
This is one clump of plants spread out. Three plants with flowers at different stages: bottom one the flower is spent, middle one flower just developing, top one flower open. At the very top are some immature plants.
The flower (on a wild plant) opened up.
The long spathe bends down over the lower part of the flower, as though to shelter the flower from rain.
Another of the long spathe.
They're difficult to see in amongst the grasses where they grow, like the one in this photo. I've only located one population of them on the upper banks of a major river. There's lots of plants in that spot but searching up stream and down stream I wasn't able to locate any, even though the habitat was the same. However, on the other side of the river about a kilometre away I found a single individual.
Leaves on a juvenile plant.
Leaves on a mature plant.
The isolated plant (about a kilometre from the population on the other side of the river). The leaf looks a little different, it's not clumping, there were no other plants seen for a fair way around. Most likely it's still the same species.
That is a very interesting plant Tropic. At first I thought perhap's a "peculiar"member of the Zantedeschia genus but after doing a little research on the net, nothing matches. If you have a local extension office for plant's native and non native to the area, you may want to send these photo's to them if no one can I.D. it here on this website.
Nice plant and I myself would be interested in knowing as well.
Yeah Rachel, it's a beautiful plant, in a modest sort of a way. But I've also developed a personal connection with it (okay, I'm eccentric, so sue me! LOL). Many years ago I lived in a remote part of Arnhemland with Aborigines. They told me of a plant which I never managed to find. It was called Nangalminj and they dscribed it to me. Anyway, fast-forward 10 years (about 2 years ago) and walking along the river I noticed this plant and immediately bells started ringing, Nangalminj! The local Aborigines here didn't recognise it, but they had grown up mostly in urban centres. And they don't recognise the name as it's from a different language group.
On the internet an aroid expert (the one mentioned above) suggested it was an as yet undescribed Typhonium. I emailed photos to the herbarium in Darwin after ringing them, rang them back again later but they've never replied. My next step was going to be visiting the herbarium and checking their records myself. Plan Z is to send specimens to the national herbarium in Canberra. So you can see this has become a bit of a 'personal crusade'.
Neat. It sounds like you'll get to the bottom of it if you have to name it tropicbreezii!
I enjoy reading your writting's and your passion for plant's. I can understand your personal crusade for this plant. It would be for me as well being that I am so intrigued personally with the Araceae family. I guess you could say they are my passion of all the tropical plant's that exist that I have found anyway's.
As far as the plant in question being a Typhonium, that never entered my mind for one second but then again, I am NO expert by any mean's.
I for one will be interested in hearing what you learn from the people you have contacted outside this forum concerning this plant.
Thank's much
OH Yeah! a mystery...grin what fun Trop, If it is a completely new species, you could indeed get to name it.....please keep us posted.
Hope your New Year's celebration was happy and the best of the New Year to you and yours.
Jean/Moon
Never saw one like that --very cool. Keep us posted.
I hope LariAnn weighs in here at some point.
At first glance I thought for sure it was Helicodiceros muscivorus but after seeing the flowers. I believe it to be a Typhonium as well. Telling which species can be very difficult. I will see if I can get a species name.
This message was edited Jan 1, 2010 1:27 AM
Thanks Brian. I find it hard to get any data on our Typhoniums. That's why I was planning to actually visit the herbarium to see if I could eliminate the described species as Alistair had suggested it could be an undescribed one.
Tropic....a little info for you..there are some fine pics included in these. Maybe they will help narrow your search.
http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/21139
http://www.greenculturesg.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5521
http://www.aroid.org/aroidl-archive/showthread.php?id=1098
http://www.aroid.org/genera/generapage.php?genus=typhonium
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wschowa.com/abrimaal/araceum/unid/tnbillw2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wschowa.com/abrimaal/araceum/unid/id.htm&usg=__lT3eD9QjyxSwmpbnE-gkHKyEwTY=&h=133&w=100&sz=8&hl=en&start=14&tbnid=jAr36deSpKUJ1M:&tbnh=92&tbnw=69&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTyphonium%2Bsagittifolium%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DX
Thanks Moonhowl. That Florabase is one site I often use, as well as the International Aroid Society one. Alistair Hays whose name turns up on a lot of those links is the one who suggested it may be an as yet undescribed species.
There was another plant I found on my place years ago and Alistair tentatively IDed it as a Typhonium. I've been searching for it again during each wet season but just today I found 2 of what must be Typhoniums, one of those a little similar to the one above (no flower unfortunately). A third looks a bit like the same one Alistair said was possibly a Typhonium.
It all becomes more interesting.
An adventure and a mystery....what fun. Please do keep us posted.
Tropic, my Amorphs came today. The A. Sumawonkii bulbs. They sent 4 bulbs and 2 of those have a baby bulb growing on it's side about to seperate to make 6. How cool is that?
I had given up and didn't think they were coming since they were suppose to be here in November.
Sometimes customs/quarantine hold things for a while. Although, they should tell you. Possibly the supplier in Thailand was waiting for the plants to go dormant, they're on the same summer/winter cycle as you.
Well he gave me the tracking number and it was in customs all that time since Nov. till dec. 17th and then sent on out. They signed it when it was shipped and dated it. Oh well, now if customs will let it and the certificate document go through again, it is on it's way to you Monday with seeds of the A.Konjac. I just finished sealing and addressing it to you. Please let me know if it makes it through.
Tropicbreeze,
Seeing the plant and blooms, I'm nearly certain it is a species of Typhonium, and wouldn't be surprised if it were a new, undescribed species at that. Of course, I'd love to have one to hybridize with the several species that I have in my collection.
If it is not a Typhonium, then it must be very closely allied to the genus.
LariAnn
This mystery is growing rather than diminishing. With the river in flood and over the bridge I haven't been able to get across to the main population of these plants, I'll call them the northern population.
Anyway, I concentrated on the "lone' individual on the southern side that still is accessible. Turns out it wasn't alone, and additionally, it's now flowering. Seeing there's purple pigmentation in the leaves I'm wondering whether there might also be some in the spathe.
This photo is from the day following the last photo. And as Murphy's Law would have it, my car's broken down and the flowering might be all over before I can get back there.
But there were about 10 other plants in the nearby area that I'd previously overlooked. One had flowered and had a seed pod. No trace of the spathe or spadix.
Closer up of the seed pod.
A lot of the plants are badly eaten by something.
Small plant emerging.
Not sure whether this one belongs with these.
Another of the plants in the same area.
The consistency in leaf shape leads me to believe there's two different species in what I've found, a north side one and a south side one. Not that I'm suggesting their ranges are restricted that way, that would be just too simplistic.
And to make matters a little more complex, I'm throwing in a couple more plants that I've found on my own place, along my creek.
The first bears a similarity to the "Northern Population" except it's shorter and much thinner/finer. Have only found the one plant so far, but with its shape it'd be almost impossible to distinguish it in thick grass.
The two lower lobes seem to be held out in front of the main leaf blade rather than to the side. Also it's growing in swampy sodden ground, the others are in better drained soil.
The second one on my place is growing in similar conditions close by. Completely different leaf to the first, although some resemblance to the "Southern Population". Found three of these plants but didn't relocate one of those last time I was down by the creek.
Another one of the "second plants". Leaf slightly different but possibly younger immature leaves. If not then it's likely a third one on my place.
Too many new mysteries without any answers to the old mysteries.
