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  [Aroid-l] Philodendron domesticum
From: "Steve Lucas Exotic Rainforest" <steve at exoticrainforest.com> on 2007.03.03 at 20:45:26(15381)
Some of you have read my questions
regarding why many sources now claim the Brazilian plant named Philodendron
hastatum has been changed to Philodendron domesticum. Some
of you have received my questions asking why Philodendron hastatum has
been assumed to have a name change. That claim can be found on many
websites including popular garden websites, county extension agent sites, in
Deni Bown's book, and on a USDA website. I was even personally
threatened via certified mail by the attorney for a large garden website
with a lawsuit for my having said on my own website this assertion was
incorrect! They apparently felt I was somehow attempting to damage their
credibility. It appears this entire story is a conflict between
horticulture and botany. And it appears at least a few official and
semi-official sources have accepted the story. Someone says it, another
repeats it, and soon science fiction becomes science "fact".

As you are about to read, at one time the plant Bunting
described formally as Philodendron domesticum was known in horticulture
as philodendron hastatum (non-scientifically) as a common name. That
plant, which is now published, is of no known origin. No one knows
for certain where it originated. One source suggests it may have come from
the Guiana Shield, yet Joep Moonen, who knows the plants of the
Guiana Shield very well, has no knowledge of the plant. Still,
it was published as a species in 1966. As far as I can learn it may be
nothing more than a hybrid, but that is just my opinion.

This is the email I received today from Dr. Croat. As
far as I am concerned this ends the controversy! Philodendron
hastatum IS NOT now Philodendron domesticum! I
have also now been advised from a separate source that GRIN is making a note
about this error, but not having access to GRIN I have no way to confirm if that
will be done.

Thanks to all of those who helped me with my quest for an
answer!
I have documented all of this on my own website in hopes
some of this confusion will be put to rest.

Steve Lucas

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