As I often do, I've had my nose stuck in a botany
book (Tom's) and I've been trying to learn anything possible about
Anthurium hookeri. I've had two large plants for many years but
of late have come to find out those aren't truly A. hookeri but are
likely some hybrid form of unknown parents and origin. While we
lived in Miami, everyone knew the plants I have as "Anthurium hookeri"!
I've been exchanging notes with Dr. Croat and with
David Scherberich and have learned Anthurium hookeri isn't even in
section Pachyneurium as everyone seems to believe. The actual section placement is still under scientific study, however
this message from Dr. Croat helps to explain the current research, "I personally
think that it is in a new section of its own. It differs from any other
section in having scalariforme veins and glandular punctations. We had hoped
that molecular studies would help to sort out some of these questions but the
last I heard my student Monica had not really gotten good resolution on all
the sections." The plants I have both
have "ruffled" edges. But a
photo received from David shows something very different with no ruffled
edges. Both David and Tom indicate black glandular punctates can be
seen (similar to "dots") on the underside of the leaf. A fully
grown leaf should have 9 to 15 veins on each side of the center leaf vein and
can be up to 89cm long (roughly 3 feet). The peduncle can be up to 47cm
long or 18.5 inches. And of major interest, the seed berries are
whitish in color, not red. The spadix stands erect. I've
found indications on many websites (including one scientific source)
which states the seed berries of Anthurium hookeri are red. Very
confusing!
It is probable the vast
majority of specimens sold in South Florida aren't actually this species, but
instead are hybrids simply using the name "Anthurium hookeri". This
email from Tom to the members Aroid l several years ago offers a more
positive way to determine if a specimen is truly Anthurium hookeri,
"Anthurium
hookeri which has scalariform veins (ladder-like) extending between the
primary lateral veins. You can definitively prove it one way or the
other though. If your plant has tiny black glandular dots on the lower
surface and/or if it has supervolute vernation (rather than involute
vernation) it is A. hookeri. If it lacks either it is a member of
Anthurium section Pachyneurium series
Pachyneurium." Julius explained
about supervolate varnation, "Supervolate
vernation is the way the very young emerging leaves are 'folded', (see page
347 of Deni Bown`s book Aroids, Plants of the Arum Family to see what involute
verrnation looks like. Check this on most of your birds nest Anthuriums,
very interesting when you notice it for the first time.
Supervolute vernation is very much like what Deni calls convulute vernation
which is what Anthurium hookeri has and what makes it different from all other
birds nest Anthuriums, all of which Tom says have involute
vernation." The lack of the glandular dots (known as
glandular punctates) and "ladder like" veins precludes either of my
plants from actually being Anthurium hookeri.
I'm including the scientific description:
A. hookeri Kunth,
Enum. pl. 3:74. 1841. Type: Schott Drawing 517 serves as the
lectotype (designated by Mayo, 1982)
Epiphyte. Internodes short, densely
rooted; cataphylls lanceolate, 20-26 cm long, dilacerating from
base. VERNATION- supervolute; Leaves rosulate; petioles
triangular to D-shaped, 2-9 cm long, 1.5-1.7 cm wide; blades oblanceolate,
broadest above middle, margins smooth, black glandular punctate on both
surfaces, 35-89 cm long, 10-26 cm wide. primary lateral veins 9-15
per side, free to the margin, tertiary veins extending in a more or less
parallel, ladder-like fashion between the primary lateral veins
(scalariform). peduncle to 47 cm long, to 5 mm diam.; spathe pale green,
tinged purple, oblong, to 9 cm long, to 1.5 cm wide; spadix violet-purple,
cylindroid-tapered, to 10-16 cm long, to 5-7 mm diam,; Infructescence-
berries, obovoid, whitish, to 6 mm long, to 4.5 mm wide.
The
point of all this is to ask if anyone actually has the species? And, if
so, do you know where one can be purchased?
Here's a link to all the information I've
found so far but I'd love to learn more:
David's photo of the actual species is on my
webpage.
Thanks!
Steve
Lucas
