From: ExoticRainforest <Steve at ExoticRainforest.com> on 2009.09.08 at 02:01:34(19962)
I received two nice responses today offering photos of Cercestismirabilis but both were juvenile plants. If you have a copy ofAroideana volume 8, #3 you can see the photos I've scanned below.
Below is one of Josef Bogner's photos in black and white. Iknow it is big but I left it that way so you can see more detail. WhatI'm hoping to find is something like this in color along with close upsof the odd leaf shape Cercestis mirabilis takes on once itmatures along with a photo of the inflorescence. If you look closelyyou'll see the blade divides.
Look at the bottom of the tree and you'll see blades somewhat closer towhat most of usknow as C. mirabilis. As you go up the tree you'll see theybegin tomorph and divide and then near the top become both divided and looknothing likewhat we know. I'm trying to find photos that show this growth form.
Joseph's info plus his photos are in Aroideana Volume 8, number3.beginning on page 73. This is a synopsis of his scientificdescription which I took from CATE Araceae:
LEAVES: Stem about an inch thick, climbing to a height of 30 ft.,rooting. Leaves glabrous; petiole 3/4-2 ft. long, terete, grooved atthe base in the adult stage, shortly sheathing; blade 6-18 in. long,5-14 in. broad across the basal lobes, hastate or cordate-hastate,cuspidate-acuminate or shortly and rather abruptly acute, more or lesssinuate along the margins, in young plants or young shoots entire, darkgreen, variegated with whitish between the primary veins in a patternresembling the tips of a fern frond; in adult plants with largeslit-like perforations between the primary veins on each side of themidrib, green, without variegation; front lobe ovate or oblong-ovate;basal lobes broadly rhombic-ovate, or somewhat hatchet-shaped, veryobtuse, with a broad, open, very obtuse sinus between them; primarylateral veins 3-4 on each side of the midrib, stout, distant; basalnerve with 2-4 branches, denuded for 1-11/2 in. in the sinus.INFLORESCENCES: Peduncles terminal, 2-4 together, 1 1/2-2 in. long,stout. Spathe 4 in. long, fleshy, green. Spadix a little shorter thanthe spathe, about 1/2 in. thick. INFRUCTESCENCE: Berries red, not seen
I've attempted to "translate" the botanical language on my site here: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Cercestes%20miribalis%20pc.html
Any help would be greatly appreciated but at this time I can't use morejuvenile plant photos.
Thanks!
Steve
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