I did a check of Dave's Gorden and could find little on this subject. I've read the article mentioned below before but today I read it again and decided some of you might want to know.
According to an article on page 126 in Aroideana. volume 32, 2009, the plant known as Alocasia Hilo Beauty is a Caladium. An article written by Dr. Wilbert Hetterscheid explains the species is relatively new to science and was never properly identified. It is also unknown where this plant originated in nature.
The correct species name is Caladium praetermissum and little is known about the species. All references to this plant being either an Alocasia or a Xanthosoma do not take into consideration the requirements for those genera. The plant does however fit the genus Caladium.
From the Kew's CATE Araceae the requirements for the genus Caladium are:
Distinguishing Features: Tuberous geophytes; leaves usually peltate, blade often variegated, cordate-sagittate, sagittate or rarely trisect, fine venation reticulate, inframarginal collective vein present; spathe strongly constricted, blade withering immediately after anthesis, tube persistent; spadix fertile to apex; flowers unisexual, perigone absent; male flowers forming a truncate synandrium, pollen shed in monads. Differs from Scaphispatha in spathe tube always convolute at anthesis, well developed sterile flowers between male and female zones, stylar region as broad as ovary (Caladium paradoxum has discoid, coherent stylar regions), placentas 1-2 (-3), parietal to subbasal.
It appears the name "Alocasia" Hilo Beauty dates back to an incorrect entry in Graf's Exotica.
Aroideana is the journal of the International Aroid Society. For those that have yet to join the IAS you can find information on the society as well as tons of research information here: www.Aroid.org Every member receives Aroideana each summer.
"Alocasia Hilo Beauty" is no longer an Alocasia.
Most people have consider it a Caladium in the aroid world for years but it has always been sold as an Alocasia. I have in the past sprayed the plant with G3 to induce flowering but the first attempt only produce flag leaves. I have again recently treated a few plants and hopefully will have a flower for Croat to look at.
I'm sure Wilbert would like to see the photos Brian. I corresponded with a grower in Ecuador today about their belief they have found in in the wild. Time will tell.
This message was edited Mar 8, 2010 10:08 PM
It is even possible that the plant is either a natural or an artificial hybrid. I have one that has almost the same variegation, but it has bloomed for me and the growth habit is much more clearly that of a Caladium. By contrast, the Hilo Beauty growth habit is almost what I might expect of something somewhere between a Caladium and Xanthosoma. My Hilo lookalike is dormant now, as are my other Caladiums, but when it comes up, I'll take a good photo and post it. You will be surprised.
For the record, I never believed that the Hilo Beauty was a true Alocasia, not even for a minute! With the experience I have had with the genus, there is no way it made sense to me.
LariAnn
Aroidia Research
And that could explain why it apparently scarcely produces an inflorescence and flowers. A friend in Ecuador believes she has seen it in the forest but so far no photos.
Their have been a few somewhat look alike plants. I have grown most of them in the past. I remember seeing Hilo Beauty labeled as a Xanthosoma and when questioned I was told the plants looked exactly a like but this Xanthosoma form got much much larger. I could never tell them apart nothing was different. I have also seen it labeled as Xanthosoma maculatum which it is not. Here is a photos of maculatum it does have white spots but is much different. Their is also a pink spotted form. Extremely rare years ago I tried to get this TCed to bring it to the market and more available but all plants had died. I would like to grow it again few have it in their collections.
Here is a weird mutation of hilo beauty I ran across years ago. Here I am comparing the leaves of both forms to show the differences in the patterns.
This caladium bicolor as well as a few others have often been incorrectly called hilo beauty. I have another form with white spots and silver spots which looks similar.
Brian, did that Xanthosoma maculatum ever bloom for you, or have you ever seen blooms on that species?
Actually, I have a good idea about the origin and nature of the Hilo Beauty but need to complete more research before I comment further about it. The information, if confirmed by lab and field work, will result in a few articles that will be very interesting, to say the least.
A few years ago I ran across this. It is considered a polyploided form of Hilo beauty. It was in tissue culture for one year. The plant grew 4 to 5 feet tall but seemed unstable. It looked similar to the regular hilo beauty which I have grown to 3 to 4 feet tall but this one did have thicker leaves.
I was able to get one small immature bloom on the Xanthosoma muculatum at the time I never did anything with it. I don't think I got a photo of it. Here is the pink spotted form.
