From: "Eduardo Goncalves" edggon at hotmail.com> on 2002.02.13 at 16:06:06(8200)
Dear Karen,
The differences are not so obvious, considering there are three different
things under the name M. adansonii (called "varieties" by Michael Madison).
Anyway, let?s try to take the easiest way.
General aspect: Monstera obliqua is a slender plant, loosely attached to the
host three. Monstera adansonii can be quite robust, mainly in the variety
klotzschiana, and it is usually closely attached.
Inflorescence: Monstera obliqua usually has a small spadix, no more than 10
mm thick. Monstera adansonii will have a spadix that may be between 1,1-2,6
mm thick. Basal flowers are sterile in Monstera adansonii, whereas they are
completely fertile in M. obliqua. In time: Monstera obliqua has a dull
yellow spathe, whereas it is cream or pale yellow in M. adansonii.
Infructescence: Berries of M. adansonii have a hard cap (stylar portion with
trichosclereids) that abscises when the berries are ripe. So unripe berries
are prismatic and seems somewhat hardened. The berries in Monstera obliqua
are globose, does not have the hard cap, so it is softer.
Well, in theory these are the differences. There is a new species in
Brazil (to be described) that is somewhat intermediate, and it is widely
distributed. Anyway, I hope you were not lucky enough to have one of this in
your way.
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