Philodendron opacum is a species of flowering plant.[1] It has a native range extending from Southeast Nicaragua to Ecuador and includes Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama.[1][2] Its habitat is largely restricted to the Tropical Wet Forest and Premontane Wet Forest life zones in Central America, but in South America extends into Premontane Rain Forest (Colombia) and Tropical Moist Forest (Ecuador).[3]

Philodendron opacum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Genus: Philodendron
Species:
P. opacum
Binomial name
Philodendron opacum
Croat & Grayum
Range
Synonyms
List
    • Monstera karstenianum

It is sold and grown as a houseplant often under the common names Monstera sp. 'Peru' and Green Galaxy Monstera, but may also be seen listed as Monstera karstenianum or Epipremnum pinnatum 'Marble Planet'; E. pinnatum is an accepted species by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew though refers to a different plant entirely.[4][5] If intended to be grown outdoors in the United States, a region outside its native range, it is recommended it be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 10–12.[6]

The species opacum is named from the Latin word for "dark", "dull", or "shade".[7]

Description

edit

This member of the arum family (Araceae) has been described as both an epiphyte and hemiepiphyte[8] that exhibits an upward vining growth habit.[6]

Leaves

edit

The lamina surface is classically dark green or gray-green in color, though varieties with yellow variegations exist, ranging from 17.7 to 43.4 cm long and 7.8 to 18.8 cm wide. The texture of the lamina surface has been described as thinly coriaceous to subcoriaceous, matte or velvety to semiglossy in appearance. The coloration of the underside may be weakly to conspicuously bicolored (yellow-green) and appear matte to semiglossy. Leaf shape has been described as having considerable variability including: Narrowly to broadly ovate, broadly or ± narrowly lanceolate, elliptic, and oblong or broadly oblanceolate (usually broadest below the middle). The leaf attaches to the stem via a 16.6–29.5 cm long petiole.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Philodendron opacum Croat & Grayum | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  2. ^ Ortiz, Orlando Oriel; de Stapf, María Sánchez; Baldini, Riccardo Maria; Croat, Thomas Bernard (2019-08-16). "Synopsis of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Cerro Pirre (Darién Province, Panama)". Check List. 15 (4): 651–689. doi:10.15560/15.4.651. hdl:2158/1169714. ISSN 1809-127X.
  3. ^ a b "Philodendron opacum [Croat & Grayum ]". cate-araceae.myspecies.info. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  4. ^ "Monstera Peru". Costa Farms. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  5. ^ "Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  6. ^ a b "How to Grow and Care for Monstera Peru". The Spruce. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  7. ^ Armitage, James (2017). A Portable Latin for Gardeners. University of Chicago Press. p. 21. doi:10.7208/chicago/9780226455532.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-226-45536-5.
  8. ^ Catalogue of useful plants of Colombia. Richmond, Grande-Bretagne: Kew publishing, Royal botanic gardens. 2023. ISBN 978-1-84246-774-9.