Typhonodorum

Scientific name

Typhonodorum Schott

Family

Araceae

Similar genera

Alocasia, Colocasia, Montrichardia, Peltandra

Native distribution

Africa (Tanzania to Madagascar, Comores)

Species cultivated

Typhonodorum lindleyanum Schott

Adventive distribution

none

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

large, emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
rosette plant

Brief description

Perennial. Rhizomerhizome:
(n) an underground stem, usually growing horizontally, from which both roots and shoots emerge directly; the thick, above-ground stem of ferns
short, horizontal; stem erect. Leaves in a rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
, petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
, sheathed at base; stout petioles form erect (up to 4 m) pseudostem; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
lanceolate to cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
, up to 1.5 m long, venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
palmatepalmate:
(adj) (of leaves or venation) with lobes, leaflets, divisions or veins originating from the same point
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
, subtended by an elongate, pedunculatepedunculate:
(adj) borne on or possessing a peduncle
spathe; spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
35-55 cm long; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
sterile, female flowers below, male in upper portion, sterilesterile:
(adj) lacking male and/or female reproductive parts; not producing fruit, seed, pollen, spores, etc.
between the two. Berries large, with a single seed. Dispersal by seed.

Natural habitat

pools and shallow water along rivers

Additional comments

A large, emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
aroid with very large leaves,Typhonodorum contains only a single species and is most commonly cultivated for ponds.