Anthurium polyphlebium Sodiro

• Genus: Anthurium
• Botanical Background: Described by Luis Sodiro in Anales Universidad Central de Ecuador 15: 6 (1901), Sodiro was a pioneering Ecuadorian botanist who catalogued much of the country's montane flora.

• Geographical Range: Endemic to Ecuador’s Andean slopes, known specifically from cloud‑forest sites around Volcán Atacazo near San Florencio. 
• Environment: Thrives in subtropical to tropical moist montane forests at elevations where persistent mist, high humidity and organic‑rich bark surfaces provide ideal epiphytic niches.

Leaves

• 15–20 cm long
• Rigid, thinly parchment‑like, oblong‑elliptic
• Obtuse base, shortly acuminate apex

Inflorescence (Spadix & Spathe)

• Slender, shorter than the petiole
• Linear‑lanceolate, acute, dotted (livid‑punctate) adaxially, slightly shorter than the spadix

Growth Habit

• Epiphytic subshrub with slender, erect stems 

Light Requirements

• Bright, indirect light
• Avoid direct sun to prevent leaf scorch 

Watering & Humidity

• Water when the top medium dries
• Maintain high humidity (60–80 %)

Soil & Potting Mix

• Use a well-draining mix rich in organic matter (e.g., orchid bark, peat, perlite) to mimic epiphytic conditions

Temperature & Fertilizer

• Ideal range 16–25 °C
• Balanced, weak fertilizer every 2–4 weeks during active growth

Division and Cuttings

• Divide at rhizomes or take stem cuttings with at least one node; root in high‑humidity conditions

Seeds

• Viable but slow
• Sow fresh berries on fine, moist medium under warm (24 °C), humid conditions; germination may take several weeks.

Typical Issues

• Mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, scale and thrips
• Root rot from overwatering; leaf spots

Treatment Recommendations

• Insecticidal soaps or horticultural oils for pests
• Copper or systemic fungicides for fungal leaf spots

• Highlights its dense lateral vein pattern, a draw for collectors
• Rare in cultivation

• Prized for its elegant many‑veined foliage and suitability for mounting on cork or bark

Wild Population Status

• Habitat loss as a potential threat

Market Availability

• Rare; occasionally offered by specialist aroid nurseries or through plant‑exchange forums