De Leon pothos (Pothos deleonii), new species (Araceae, Potheae, Pothoideae) from Mindanao, Philippines

NEWS - De Leon pothos (Pothos deleonii sp. nov.), Araceae: Potheae: Pothoideae, closely resembles Pothos philippinensis in sheath and leaf morphology, but differs in inflorescence and flowers. The new species is closely related to Pothos kingii in dark purple inflorescences.

The new species is morphologically similar to P. philippinensis in vegetative characters but differs in purple peduncles, dark burgundy to purplish black sheaths and pendulous petioles and acuminate to caudate leaf tips (vs. acuminate to apiculate).

P. deleonii is most closely related to R. kingii and P. atropurpurascens M. Hotta in having purple cylindrical peduncles, but differs by having much longer, purplish green to dark purple peduncles, 16-18 cm long (vs. 5 cm in P. kingii and 8 cm in P. atropurpurascens), broad ovate spathes, subsessile peduncles and 7/10 of the total spathe length, larger flower diameter (2 mm) and flower orientation.

P. deleonii is only known from a very limited area at two sites in degraded, open-canopy secondary dipterocarp forest in a 500-hectare bird conservation site located in the northern foothills of Mount Kitanglad at elevations of 1150 and 1270 m.

It grows on the ground or at the base of Shorea sp. trees and Alsophila sp. trunks, dbh 12-20 cm. Attached to host plants from the ground up to 4-6 meters, where the plant branches and grows freely, either hanging or supported by vines or branches of adjacent trees.

No specific relationship with plants other than the host plant is known. However, the habitat supports other aroids such as Alocasia sanderiana, A. zebrina and Rhaphidophora sp.

The specific epithet is given in honor of Dr. Miguel David De Leon, a vitreoretinal surgeon and wildlife conservationist who first photographed this new species and advocated the conservation of wild flora, especially orchids and hoyas, fauna especially birds of prey in Mindanao.

Extensive surveys in an area of 500 hectares found only 12 adults. This plant is in a bird conservation area and is continuously monitored by the Robert S. Kennedy Bird Conservancy. Currently there are no threats, but the small population and distribution of less than 2 hectares, the researchers proposed Critically Endangered based on IUCN criteria (2024).

Original research

Medecilo-Guiang MMP, Cabactulan D (2024) Pothos deleonii (Araceae, Potheae, Pothoideae), a new species from Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines. PhytoKeys 247: 183-190, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.130721

Dlium theDlium

Bugang (Clerodendrum calamitosum)

Bugang ( Clerodendrum calamitosum ) is a species of plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is an erect shrub, growing up to 1 meter tall, with cylindrical, green stems and white hairs. The leaves are opposite. The leaf blade is oval, wavy, with a central main vein with numerous pinnate minor veins, and serrated margins. The leaves are up to 9 cm long and 7 cm wide. The petiole is up to 2 cm long. The flowers are star-shaped, white, up to 3 cm in diameter and up to 6 cm in total length. The fruit is round, dark green, turning black when ripe. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Subfamily: Ajugoideae Genus: Clerodendrum L. in Sp. Pl.: 637 (1753) Species: Clerodendrum calamitosum L. in Mant. Pl. 1: 90 (1767) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Clerodendrum fastigiatum (W.Hunter ex Ridl.) H.J.Lam in Verben. Malay. Archip.: 317 (1919) Volkameria alternifolia Burm.f. in Fl. Indica: 137 (1768) Volkameria fastigiata W.Hunter...

Plumeria rubra and Plumeria obtusa, the differences

SPECIES HEAD TO HEAD - The genus frangipani trees ( Plumeria Tourn. ex L.) has only 18 officially recorded species and two very similar species, frangipani ( Plumeria rubra L.) and white frangipani ( Plumeria obtusa L.). Both have the same habitus, flowers and fruits and are difficult to distinguish. The leaves of both species have slightly different shapes. Therefore, the leaves are very important to distinguish the two species, especially the shape of the tip. P. rubra has simple, lanceolate leaves with acute tips. P. obtusa has simple, elliptic leaves with rounded tips. By Aryo Bandoro Founder of Dlium.com . You can follow him on X: @Abandoro . Read more: Plumeria rubra Plumeria obtusa

Durian (Durio zibethinus)

Durian ( Durio zibethinus ) is a species of tropical plant in Malvaceae, an annual tree, everlasting green but there are certain times to grow new leaves after the fruiting period is over, popularly called "king of fruit" and considered a controversial fruit where many people like, but some others are even fed up with the scent. D. zibethinus grows to 25-50 m, reddish brown bark and irregular peeling, leafy and stretched canopy. The leaves are oval shaped to lanceolate, 10-15x3-4.5 cm, sitting alternately, stemmed, taper or blunt base and taper-pointed sloping, bright green upper side, the lower side covered with silver or golden scales. Flowers and fruit Flowers appear directly on the trunk or old branches at the proximal, clustered in panicles containing 3-10 florets or flat-shaped florets. Rounded flower buds, 2 cm in diameter and long stem. Tubular petals, 3 cm long, additional petals split into 2-3 round lobes. Crown shaped spatula with a length of 2 times the ...

Dlium