Philodendron spiritus-sancti is a species of plant in the genus Philodendron native to the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo, which is the origin of its scientific name.[1][2] A member of the section Macrobelium, it has cordate foliage that can grow up to 57–63 centimetres (22–25 in) long.[3] The width of the leaf blades is variable, and appears in three different forms known in cultivation.[4]
| Philodendron spiritus-sancti | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Araceae |
| Genus: | Philodendron |
| Species: | P. spiritus-sancti
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| Binomial name | |
| Philodendron spiritus-sancti | |
Extremely rare, it was first scientifically described from just one locality on private farmland near the town of Domingos Martins, and is severely threatened by habitat destruction.[4][5] It is thought that more plants are held by private collectors than in the wild.[6]
In 2024, a population of P. spiritus-sancti was discovered 128 kilometres (80 mi) from the previously known range, consisting of 50 well-developed individuals and many seedlings. The most impressive groups of individual plants are rupicolous, growing on a rocky wall. They dominate the wall and grow directly on the rocks, with associated rupicolous species such as Philodendron edmundoi, Griffinia concinna, Begonia species, and bromeliads. The population has plants with both narrow and broad leaves growing together in a morphological gradient, resembling the species in the central mountainous region. Philodendron spiritus-sancti was previously considered a hemiepiphyte of the high forest canopy.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Philodendron spiritus-sancti". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- ^ Govaerts, Rafaël; Frodin, D. G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae). Royal Botanic Gardens. p. 402. ISBN 978-1-84246-036-8.
- ^ Sakuragui, Cassia M.; Mayo, Simon J.; Zappi, Daniela C. (2005). "Taxonomic Revision of Brazilian Species of Philodendron Section Macrobelium". Kew Bulletin. 60 (4): 505–506. ISSN 0075-5974. JSTOR 25070239.
- ^ a b Calazans, Luana S. B.; Valadares, Rodrigo Theófilo; Sakuragui, Cassia Mônica (2024-04-22). "Sobrexploração de Philodendron spiritus-sancti G.S.Bunting e a necessidade de implantação de uma política para a conservação de imbés". Paubrasilia (in Portuguese). 7: e150. doi:10.33447/paubrasilia.2024.e0150. ISSN 2595-6752.
- ^ "Philodendron spiritus-sancti G.S.Bunting". CNCFlora. Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ Offolter, Enid (2022). Welcome to the Jungle: Rare Tropical Houseplants to Collect, Grow, and Love. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-9848-5994-5.
- ^ Campos-Rocha, Antonio; Meerow, Alan; Ramiro, Lucas; Gomes, José Ataliba; Koch, Ingrid; Dutilh, Julie (July 2024). "Four new records of Griffinia ornata, a rare and threatened Brazilian species of Amaryllidaceae". Oryx. 58 (4): 417–418. doi:10.1017/S0030605324000437. ISSN 0030-6053.
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