Re: Monstera or Raphidophora

I received the following email from Jonathan Ertelt.  He tells me he can
receive email from this list, but is having problems posting.  He asks me
to forward this email re the discussion on Monstera. I hope this is OK with
the moderator; please email me if this is in error.....

jack in Portland Oregon

 >If you would repost it to the
 >list, I think that that would be great for all concerned.  Thanks.


>Jonathan Ertelt
>
> >Many 'vining' Aroids do this, Philodendron, Monstera and Raphidophora come
> >to mind, it is a response to the growing conditions, and is a 'juvinile'
> >form of the plant which does and will change to one with 'normal' leaves
> >once it encounters different/'better' conditions higher up the tree, rock
> >face, or in the case of Fairchild Gardens, the wall!
> >Good luck in your quest!
> >
>
>Julius, Jack, et al.,
>
>This is a most interesting plant growing at Fairchild.  The difficulty
>regarding the 'juvinile' vs. 'normal' leaf type for this species is what
>can one mean by juvinile?  The reason I ask this is that this plant blooms
>underneath those shield-like leaves, and has been doing so for years.
>Craig Allen was generous enough to let me have a piece when I was at UNC
>Charlotte, to grow there, and pointed out this phenomenon.  He said, if I
>remember correctly, that it was labeled Raphidophora because they didn't
>know what else to label it.  However, the inflorescences are small, not
>protruding from underneath the appressed shingle leaves - you don't know
>it's blooming unless you a.) prune it back, or b.) grow it on glass and
>look at it from the back side!  It does certainly look like the
>silver-white veined plant that Geoffrey Kibby put on his website (Hello
>Geoffrey!)  I am by no means an expert on Araceae - however, I would
>venture to say that the shingles leaves here are the mature leaves, and
>that this does not fit into any standard understanding of any of the genera
>in the tribe Monstereae.  Regarding the idea of mature leaves, a healthy
>plant in good light will have leaves slightly overlapping - same plant goes
>to low light or falls from support, internodal growth stretches out and
>leaves can be greatly reduced.  Improve conditions, leaves will go to
>previous description - i.e. always shingle type leaves, including after
>blooming has commenced, as stated above.  Regarding not in any genera in
>Monstereae, this is simply based on a quick glance through of illustrations
>in _The Genera of Araceae, and a scanning of descriptions.
>
>Would be most interested in hearing opinions advanced.  Good Growing.
>
>Jonathan
>
>Jonathan Ertelt
>Greenhouse Manager
>Vanderbilt University Biology Department
>Box 1812, Sta. B
>Nashville, TN  37235
>(615) 322-4054
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