Bucephalandra

Scientific name

Bucephalandra Schott

Common names

buce

Family

Araceae

Similar genera

Anubias, Aridarum, Lagenandra, Ooia, Piptospatha

Native distribution

endemic endemic:
(adj) restricted to a certain geographical location
to Borneo

Species cultivated

Numerous varieties are known by informal names associated with their appearance or collection locality. The taxonomy of this group is dynamic at present, with new species being described.

Bucephalandra gigantea Bogner

B. motleyana Schott

Adventive distribution

none

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

emergent emergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
or temporarily submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
, rhizomatousrhizomatous:
(adj) possessing rhizomes
, obligate rheophyticrheophytic:
(adj) living or able to live in fast-moving water currents
herbs

Brief description

Small aroid herb. Stem creeping, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
upright; rhizomatousrhizomatous:
(adj) possessing rhizomes
. Leaves numerous; petiolar sheath with long marcescentmarcescent:
(adj) withering but not falling off
liguleligule:
(n) (1) a strap-shaped structure; (2) an often thin, membranous or hairy structure projecting from the top of the leaf sheath in grasses and a few other families; (3) the flattened part of the ray corolla in the Asteraceae
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
variable, often lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
, ellipticelliptical:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
to oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
; base attenuateattenuate:
(adj) narrowing gradually to a point
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
smooth to undulateundulate:
(adj) (of, e.g., a margin) with a wavy surface; wavy in the vertical (up and down) plane
; often punctate below; venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
pinnatepinnate:
(adj) in the form of a feather; of, e.g., leaflets, lobes, or veins: arranged in two rows along an axis
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
and spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
on emersedemersed:
see emergent
and submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
plants; pedunclepeduncle:
(n) the stalk of a flower cluster or inflorescence
subequal to petiolepetiole:
(n) the stalk of a leaf
at anthesisanthesis:
(n) the period from flower opening to fruit set
, elongating later. Spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
ellipsoid, not constricted; lower broadly funnel-form; encloses developing fruits, variously senescing then caducouscaducous:
(adj) falling off easily or at an early stage
; limblimb:
(n) the expanded portion of a petal or bract (e.g., a spathe)
white, pink, or yellow. Spadixspadix:
(n) a spike of small flowers borne on a thick, fleshy axis
shorter than spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
. Berry globoseglobose:
(adj) spherical or nearly so
to ellipsoid.

Natural habitat

rheophytic rheophytic:
(adj) living or able to live in fast-moving water currents
in tropical humid forests, usually in or along streams

Additional comments

A genus of only two accepted species, Bucephalandra gigantea and B. motleyana. Largely wild harvested, there is a concern of over-harvesting.