Volume 11 > Part 2 > Year 2012 > Page 259 > Araceae > Pothos

6. Pothos neoroxburghii P.C.Boyce

Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 37: 21. 2009. Plate LXIII: A–B.

Accepted Name : Pothos roxburghii de Vriese
Pl. Jungh.: 103. 1851.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Large moderately robust, homeophyllous, root-climbing secondary hemiepiphyte to 15 m. Stem to 15 mm diam., four-angled or slightly compressed-terete in cross-section; fertile shoot branching to ca two orders, stem to 10 mm diam. Leaves dense; petiole 2–20 cm by 5–20 mm, broadly winged, obovate-oblong to linear-oblong, with 2–3 secondary veins and numerous veinlets per side, base decurrent, apex truncate, rounded or auriculate; leaf blade 2–10 by 1–4 cm, ovate to elliptic or lanceolate with 2 intramarginal veins per side, base rounded to acute, apex attenuate-mucronate, leathery. Flowering shoot much abbreviated, arising from most of the mid- to distal leaf axils of fertile shoots, bearing a minute prophyll and a few 3–10 mm, sequentially longer, cataphylls. Inflorescence solitary; peduncle slender, 3–15 by 0.5–2 mm, erect to spreading, green to purple-tinged; spathe 4–10 by 4–10 mm, ovate, concave, margins flat to slightly concave, base short, apex rounded to acute with a tiny, rather stout mucro, maroon; spadix long-stipitate; stipe terete in cross-section, 10–15 by ca 1 mm, erect, white; fertile portion globose or ovoid to subclavate, 9–12 by 3.5–10 mm, white; flowers ca 1–2 mm diam. Infructescence with 1–5 berries; fruit obclavate, 1–1.75 by 1–1.5 cm, mid-green ripening to deep scarlet.

Thailand : SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan; SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat; PENINSULAR: Surat Thani, Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Songkhla, Pattani.

Distribution : NW India through Myanmar to N Peninsular Malaysia (Penang, lectotype).

Ecology : On trees and rocks in primary and secondary wet lowland to hill evergreen tropical forests; 150–450 m alt.

Vernacular : Thao phan dong (เถาพันดง)(Peninsular).