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  Re: [aroid-l] Araceae of West Indies??
From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2003.11.18 at 00:24:33(10827)
Dear Michael,

I would think that Barbados would have a very poor endemic Aroid flora, perhaps just one or maybe two 'birds nest'- type Anthurium species IF any, but if there are any Barbadian members 'out there' I`d love to find out!
There is a wet area of sink holes and small, shallow, canyon-type areas that may support one or two species, and there was a garden (the owner was/is a member) that was said to have some nice aroids, probably introduced from the other Islands, there is an article on this garden in an early issue of Aroideana.
Martinique would have more endemic aroids, it has nice mountains w/ rain-forest remaining.
No Urospatha spps. are recorded anywhere N. of the Venezuela/the mainland in the Lesser Antilles (the genus extends up into Central America as far as Belize), there is an outside chance of Montrichardia on Martinique, it does occur on Grenada in two crater lakes and further North. Dieffenbachia might be located on both Martinique and Barbados as introductions, as it was used in the manufacture of sugar 'way back when', and was/is also used in old beliefs, like home protection, etc. Keep your eyes open for Dracontium on Martinique, I have a reliable report of its occurrence there, it and Xanthosoma (plus other tubers) were carried as a 'journey food' by the Amerindians from the S. American mainland up the island chain as far as the Dominican Republic, much like Taro was carried across the Pacific.

Good Luck!

Julius

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