Introduction & Overview
Common and Scientific Names
- Scientific Name: Anthurium ramosii Croat
- Common Name: None widely recorded
Quick Facts
- Origin: Endemic to Colombia (Department of Chocó)
- Features: Ovate‑lanceolate, velvety leaves, greenish‑pink spathes, and stipitate reddish spadices
Taxonomy & Classification
- Genus: Anthurium
- Botanical Background: Described as a new species by Thomas B. Croat in Willdenowia (2010), based on material collected on Cerro Torrá by Ramos and Silverstone‑Sopkin.
Natural Habitat & Distribution
- Geographical Range: Known only from its type locality on Cerro Torrá, Chocó Department, Colombia, at ca. 2000 m elevation.
- Environment: Occurs in premontane rain forest life zones with persistent cloud cover, high humidity, and rich humus soils on steep, well‑drained slopes.
Morphological Characteristics
Leaves
- Terete, sulcate, 8–13 cm long
- Ovate‑lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, subcoriaceous
- Dark green and velvety above, glandular‑punctate on both surfaces
- 9–14 primary lateral veins at 65–80°, collective veins from basal veins
Inflorescence (Spadix & Spathe)
- Slender, 13–33.5 cm long peduncle
- Spathe is greenish‑pink to red, lanceolate
- stipitate spadix, reddish to purplish‑brown
- Four flowers per spiral
Growth Habit
- Terrestrial vine
- Caudex elongated and rooting at nodes
- Cataphylls persisting as fibrous remains
Cultivation & Care
Light Requirements
- Bright, indirect light, approximately six hours daily, to promote healthy foliage without leaf scorch
Watering & Humidity
- Keep growing medium consistently moist but never waterlogged
- Indoors, water once weekly
- Maintain humidity above 60% to mimic cloud‑forest conditions
Soil & Potting Mix
- A coarse, well‑draining mix (50% orchid bark + peat or coco coir + perlite) to ensure aeration around roots
Temperature & Fertilizer
- Ideal range 16–22 °C (61–72 °F)
- A balanced, diluted fertilizer every two weeks during active growth
Propagation Methods
Division & Cuttings
- Best by stem cuttings with at least one node or by dividing rooted sections of the caudex
- Keep cuttings warm and humid until roots form
Seeds
- Propagation is uncommon
- Fresh require sterile medium and warm (25 °C), humid conditions
- Germinating in 4–8 weeks
Common Pests & Diseases
Typical Issues
- Mealybugs, spider mites, and scale, thrips
- Look for leaf stippling, webbing, cottony masses
- Root rot from overwatering
- Bacterial blights in poorly ventilated settings
Treatment Recommendations
- Dislodge pests with strong water spray
- Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil
- For severe infestations, use pyrethrin‑based sprays or systemic insecticides
- Prevent root rot by ensuring good drainage and moderate watering
Notable Traits & Uses
- Named for Jorge Ramos, co‑collector of the type specimen, epithet honors the indigenous Ramos settlement near Cerro Torrá
- Small berries likely provide food for local frugivorous birds
- Collectors prize its vine habit and unusual pink spathes on slender stalks,
- Remains too rare for general cultivation
Conservation & Availability
Wild Population Status
- Known only from a single location; habitat specificity suggests potential vulnerability
Market Availability
- Not listed in major commercial databases, indicating it is effectively unavailable outside specialist collections
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