MONSTERA

Monstera Adans., Fam. Pl. 2: 470. 1763; Bailey, Stand. Cyc. Hort. 4: 2063. 1916; Marie C. Neal, Gard. of Hawaii 137. 1965; Malik, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 3.

Large and coarse, scandent epiphytic (hemiepiphytic) herbs, generally with a thick elongated stem with rooting at nodes; cataphylls absent in vegetative parts. Leaves distichous hetrophyllous: juvenile and adult leaves. Juvenile leaves usually appressed to the tree trunk, covering the stem and roots, simple, ovate or ovate-cordate, not perforated; petioles short, vaginate (sheathed) to the middle or higher, the sheath persistent or deciduous. Adult leaves variable, often pinnately lobed or perforated, the base cordate to acute or wedge-shaped (cuneate), petioles sheathed almost halfway. Inflorescences (spadices) 1-many per axilla, peduncle terete or flattened; spathe ovate to elliptical or oblong-ovate, apiculate, leathery, opening widely or through a narrow slit, deciduous after anthesis. Spadix sessile, cylindrical, the lower flowers sterile, others fertile, sessile, bisexual, naked. Tepals 0. Stamens 4, filaments rather broad and compressed; anthers bithecous, abruptly narrowed into slender, acuminate connective, dehiscence by lateral slits. Ovary obconic-prismatic, 2-locular, 2 ovules per loculus, basal, anatropous, on very short funicle; style equalling the ovary, thicker; stigma depressed oblong or linear. Fruit crowded, baccate, juicy. Seeds ovate or subcordate, subcompressed.

64 species

Monstera deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa Liebm., Vidensk. Meddel, Naturhist. Foren. Kjobenhavn 1: 2119. 1849; Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. 4: 2064. 1916; Marie C. Neal, Gard. of Hawaii 137. 1965; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 5; Fl. Nicaragua; Fl. Panama; Costa Rica Plant Manual. @ World Flora online

A large coarse epiphyitic vine, often climbing on trees, and even on walls. Stem +/- terete, 3-5 cm in diameter, smooth, green, glabrous, with epidermis exfoliating, yellowish brown when dry, internodes 4-8 cm long. Leaves heterophyllous: juvenile and adult leaves. Juvenile leaves ovate, acuminate at apex, base cordate, glabrous. Adult leaves ovate, up to 60 cm x 40 cm, acute or mucronate at apex, thickly leathery, glossy and dark green on adaxial surface, pale green abaxially, regularly pinnatifid, the segments linear or broadly linear, somewhat dilated towards apex and cuspidate-acuminate, 1-4 perforations on each side or perforations absent. Petioles up to 50 cm long, adaxially flattened near apex, vaginate (sheathed) up to 1/6 or throughout their length, appearing winged. Inflorescences generally 1 per axilla, rarely 2 or 3. Peduncle 4-13 cm x 0.2-2.1 cm; spathe 10-25 cm x 7-17 cm at anthesis, narrowly acuminate at apex, thickly coriaceous, white or cream to yellow, ultimately brown. Spadix 6.5-19 cm x 2-3 cm (becoming thick and juicy in fruit), cylindrical, covered by hexagonal scales (representing flowers); flowers sessile, bisexual, lower flowers sterile; thick resin secreted out from slit-like gaps between scales and oblong stigma, becoming brown on drying. Perianth 0. Stamens 4; filaments broad and compressed, larger than anthers; anthers ovate-oblong, bithecous, abruptly narrowed into slender acuminate connective, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovary obconic-prismatic, 2-locular, 2 ovules per locule, basal, anatropous on very short funicle; stigma depressed, oblong. Fruits crowded, baccate, juicy, calcium oxalate raphides present between scales and berries; berries sweet, exposed on falling off scales on ripening.

Flowering and Fruiting: May to June
Common Names: Monstera, Split-leaf Philodendron, Window leaf, Ceriman