Anthurium oerstedianum Schott

Description

Author : Tom Croat

Description: Terrestrial; stems short, to 2 cm diam.; roots numerous, short, tan; cataphylls 7-12 cm long, moderately thin, apiculate at apex, drying brown, persisting intact, ultimately deciduous. Leaves usually ± erect; petioles ± quadrangular, (12-)30-65 cm long, ca. 0.6 cm wide; the geniculum 1.5-2 cm long, remote from base of blade 10-20 cm; blades ovate to narrowly ovate or lanceolate-elliptic, moderately thin, 20-66 cm long, 8.5-30 cm wide, caudate-acuminate at apex, obtuse to truncate, sometimes rounded to subcordate at base, abruptly decurrent on petiole; both surfaces semiglossy; midrib convexly raised above, raised and obscurely ribbed below; primary lateral veins 11-20 per side, raised in valleys above, raised below; lesser veins sunken above, obscure below; collective vein arising from one of the lowermost primary lateral veins, 2-8 mm from the margin, sunken above, raised below. Inflorescence erect, longer than leaves; peduncle (30-)70-130 cm long; spathe ovate-lanceolate, pale green, 8-13 cm long, 2.5-4.8 cm wide, acuminate at apex, rounded at base; spadix pale green, 5-12 cm long, ca. 9 mm diam. at base, ca. 6 mm diam. at apex; flowers sub-rhombic to 4-lobed, 2.2-2.5 mm long, 2.2-2.7 mm wide, the sides parallel to spirals usually straight, those perpendicular to spirals sigmoid; 8-9 flowers visible in the principal spiral, 12-18 flowers visible in the alternate spiral; tepals matte, minutely and densely papillate, lateral tepals 1.4-1.8 mm long, the inner margin straight; pistils weakly emergent, green; stigma brushlike and weakly exserted, glistening for 3 or 4 days before stamens emerge; stamens emerging in a scattered manner on fleshy, greenish, translucent filaments, lateral stamens emerged throughout before alternates appear, held at sides of pistil; anthers creamy white, 0.7-1 mm long, 1-1.2 mm wide; thecae ellipsoid, mounded with abundant, creamy white pollen. Infructescence not seen.

Common names: None recorded.

Distribution: Endemic to southwestern Costa Rica from 300 to 1300 m.

Ecology: In wet forests.

Phenology:

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Taxonomic notes: Anthurium oerstedianum is distinguished by its strictly terrestrial habit as an understory forest herb and by its geniculum which is located 10-20 cm below the base of the blade. Other distinguishing features are its 4-sided petiole and its greenish spadix. The species is a member of section Pachyneurium despite its somewhat atypical elongate petioles, its remote geniculum, and lack of a densely rosulate habit. Anthurium cuspidifolium, which is synonymous with A. oerstedianum, was reported by MacBride (1936) from Peru. However, the specimens cited by him [MacBride 5622 (F); Schunke 572 (F)] are referable to A. flavescens Poepp.

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Etymology: The epithet honours A. S. Oersted, one of the earlier collectors of vascular plants of Costa Rica.

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