AMORPHOPHALLUS CAUDATUS
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
A new species of Amorphophallus is described and illustrated here, from the province of Camarines Norte, Luzon island, the Philippines. The new species, Amorphophallus caudatus, is morphologically close to Amorphophallus luzoniensis in having a verruculose spadix, a similar spathe shape, and similar size of the ovary. However, the new species is distinct by its larger leaves, a longer peduncle, a longer and wider spathe, an inflated, verruculose spadix which strongly narrows to the caudate upper half, a fusiform ovary, and a shorter style with a shallowly 2–3-lobed stigma. The peculiar shape of the spadix with its verruculose inflated base and caudate upper half is unique amongst Philippine Amorphophallus species.
SYNONYMS:
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS: N/A
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS: N/A
ACCEPTED INFRASPECIFICS: N/A
OTHER: N/A
DISTRIBUTION: Philippines | Luzon
CLIMATE: N/A
ECOLOGY: N/A
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Tuber depressed subglobose, 2–3 cm in diameter and 2.5–4.0 cm high. Leaf solitary. Petiole ca 31.5 cm × 7.0–10.0 mm in diameter at base, gradually tapering towards the tip, its sur- face generally smooth, light to dark brown, sometimes green- ish in color, with white patches and light pink to dark brown spots, paler towards the tip, at base pale pink or sometimes greenish. Leaflets shortly petiolate, lanceolate or elliptical, the larger 10–18 cm long, 3.5–5.0 cm in diam., the smaller ca 6 cm long, ca 2 cm in diameter, unequal or oblique at base, slightly decurrent on the rachis, long acuminate at apex, with 2–3 cm long acumen, with deeply impressed veins, dark green above and paler below; lateral veins in 6–18 pairs, strongly raised abaxially, sunken adaxially.
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescence solitary, long peduncled. Peduncle 42–45 cm long, 0.8–1.5 cm in diam. at base, gradually tapering towards tip. Spathe elongate, triangular-ovate, acuminate, 24–26 cm long, 10.0– 11.5 cm wide, erect, with base and limb distinctly differenti- ated; base convolute, outside purple brown, with or without a few scattered white spots, inside dark purple, shallowly ridged between a prominent, reticulated impressed venation; limb triangular, undulating and sometimes helically twisted, slightly appressed to the spadix, outside and inside entirely purplish or turning green upwards; top undulate, oval to ovate (when spread), gradually turning lanceolate to sharply trian- gular towards the apex. Spadix slightly shorter or longer than spathe, 17.5–27.5 cm long; fertile zones contiguous; female zone cylindric, 2.0–2.5 cm long, 1.6–1.8 cm in diam., with flowers slightly distant; male zone elongate, slightly obconi- cal, 4.0–5.0 cm long, 1.5–1.7 cm in diam., with flowers con- gested; appendix 12.0–21.0 cm long, 1.5–2.0 cm in diameter at the base, with basal part inflated, verruculose from coni- cal, angular or irregularly shaped staminodes, suddenly nar- rowing to a long, thin and smooth, flagelliform upper part. Female flowers with ovary fusiform, 1.5–1.7 × 1.2–1.5 mm, pale yellow, unilocular; placentation basal; style 1.2–1.5 mm, pinkish, long conical, broader at the base, tapering towards the stigma; stigma 1.0–1.2 mm in diameter, shallowly 2–3- lobed, pale pink, its surface minutely papillate. Male flowers irregularly shaped, 1.4–1.8 mm long, 1.0–1.5 mm in diam., constricted in the middle; thecae and the connective pinkish. Staminodes 3–5 mm long, 2–3 mm in diam., crowded, coni- cal, angular or irregularly shaped. Pollen pale yellow. Fruits not observed.
Phenology: Amorphophallus caudatus was observed flowering in March– April, and fruiting in late April–May.
VARIEGATED FORMS: N/A
ETYMOLOGY: The species epithet ‘caudatus’ is from the Latin word ‘cauda’ (a tail or appendage) referring to the flagelliform shape of the upper half of the appendix
NOTES:
CULTIVARS: N/A
HYBRIDS: N/A
