KEY TO THE SPECIES OF DRACONTIUM L.




  1. Blade segments linear, 1-1.5 cm wide, usually

     ascending at " 45E angle from the petiole; growing in

     seasonal swamps; Venezuela (Apure), Brazil (Mato Grosso

     do Sul), and Paraguay.

                                                  13. D. margaretae.

  1. Blade segments not linear, 3-12 cm wide, spreading

     horizontally or ascending at " 45E angle from the

     petiole when young; growing in habitats other than

     seasonal swamps; Southern Mexico to Central Paraguay.



     2. Peduncle completely subterranean or not more than 10

       cm above ground level; longest bracteole reaching to

       base of or covering to 1/2 of the spathe.



       3. Spathe cymbiform (boat-shaped), not at all

          constricted; spadix never with appendages at apex.



          4. Spadix often hidden at anthesis; spathe margins

            broadly overlapping at the base for at least

            1/2 of the spathe.



            5. Spathe 28-35 cm long, 6-10 cm wide at

               anthesis; endemic to Par< State, Brazil.

                                                    14. D. nivosum



            5. Spathe never more than 20 cm long and 4.5 cm

               wide at anthesis; Brazil, Venezuela, and

               Peru.



               6. Inner surface of spathe semiglossy to

                 velvety, never with transparent scales.



                 7. Spathe (6)10-13 cm long, 3.5-4.5 cm

                    wide, arching by 45E to 90E apically;

                    transparent area (at base of inner

                    spathe surface) obscure; Amazonian Peru,

                    Venezuela and Brazil.

                                                  1. D. amazonense



                 7. Spathe (10)15-18 cm long, 3.2-4 cm

                 wide, slightly arching (by up to 45E)

                 apically; transparent area (at base of

                 inner spathe surface) 0.5-1 cm high; known

                 from southern Venezuela and adjacent

                 Brazil.

                                                    19. D. prancei



                6. Inner surface of spathe covered with

                   transparent scales.



                 8. Seeds reniform, laterally concave, with

                    small cells along dorsal ridge; endemic

                    to Gois, Brazil.

                                                     5. D. bogneri



                 8. Seeds rounded, laterally convex, smooth

                 along dorsal ridge; endemic to eastern

                 Acre, Brazil.

                                                       23. D. ulei



            4. Spadix exposed (visible from face view

               outside) at anthesis; spathe margins slightly

               to hardly overlapping at the base; French

               Guiana, Surinam, Guyana and Brazil.

                                                18. D. polyphyllum



       3. Spathe not cymbiform (not boat-shaped),

          constricted in lower 1/5 to 1/2 and differentiated

          into a proximal tube and a distal lamina; spadix

          often with one to several appendages (elongated

          and enlarged tepals) at apex.



          9. Inner surface of spathe semiglossy or velvety,

            never with transparent scales.



            10. Seeds with 5-6 thin, strongly interrupted

               ridges to 1.5 mm high; tropical wet forests,

               DariJn, Panama to Choc\, Colombia.

                                                10. D. grayumianum



            10. Seeds with 3 continuous ridges to 0.5 mm

               high; tropical moist forests, southern Mexico

               to central Panama.

                                                 21. D. soconuscum



          9. Inner surface of spathe densely covered with,

            transparent scales.



            11. Seeds with 4 or 5 thin, strongly

               interrupted ridges to 1.5 mm high; endemic to

               Venezuela.

                                                  6. D. changuango



            11. Seeds with 3 continuous ridges to 0.5 mm

            high; Caribbean coast of Colombia and Zulia

            State, Venezuela.

                                                 20. D. purdieanum



     2. Peduncle 30-250 cm above ground level; longest

       bracteole confined to base of peduncle, never

       reaching the spathe.



       12. Peduncle 30-90 cm long, less than half as long

          as petiole.



          13. Spathe apex caudate, 3-5 times longer than the

            body of the spathe; berries apically pointed;

            endemic to Loreto State, Peru.

                                             2. D. angustispathum



          13. Spathe apex obtuse or acuminate, much shorter

            than the body of the spathe.



            14. Spathe 58-78 cm long, 13-21 cm wide, obtuse

               at apex; seeds dark brown, 1-1.2 cm diam,

               with three dorsal ridges; Atlantic slope of

               Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

                                                      8. D. gigas



            14. Spathe 9-20 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, acuminate

               at apex; seeds light brown, 0.5-0.7 cm diam,

               with 1 dorsal ridge; West Indies, Guianas,

               Venezuela and Brazil.



               15. Spathe 9-10 cm long, slightly arching

                 apically up to 45E angle; seeds laterally

                 convex, with many fine pits flanking the

                 ridge; French Guiana, near Brazilian

                 border.

                                                 11. D. guianense.



               15. Spathe 10-20 cm long, often arching

                 apically by 45E-90E angle; seeds laterally

                 concave, with coars, wart-like

                 protuberences flanking the ridge; West

                 Indies, Guianas, Venezuela and Brazil.

                                                     4. D. asperum



       12. Peduncle 100-200 cm long, usually more than half

          as long as petiole.



          16. Spathe cymbiform, never differentiated into a

            proximal tube and distal lamina.



            17. Spathe obtuse at apex, widest in upper

               half.



               18. Seeds rounded, the dorsal ridges 4 or 5,

                 strongly interrupted; spathe green

                 externally, the margins broadly

                 overlapping; spadix hidden at anthesis;

                 endemic to the west slope of the Andes in

                 Ecuador and adjacent Colombia.

                                                     7. D. croatii

            18. Seeds reniform, dorsal ridge 1, continuous;

               spathe maroon externally, the margins

               scarcely overlapping; spadix exposed at

               anthesis; endemic to the Pacific slope of

               Costa Rica.

                                                   16. D. pittieri



          17. Spathe acuminate at apex, widest in lower

            half.



            19. Spadix 23-35 cm long in fruit; petiole 2-6

               m long; seeds rounded, with 3 strong,

               continuous ridges to 2 mm high; Amazonian

               Peru and Brazil.

                                                 15. D. peruvianum



            19. Spadix 4-5 cm long in fruit; petiole 1-2 m

               long; seeds reniform, with 3 weak continuous

               ridges to 0.5 mm high; endemic to Acre State,

               Brazil.

                                                   12. D. longipes



       16. Spathe usually not cymbiform, constricted near

          the base to yield a proximal tube and distal

          lamina.



          20. Seeds 0.5-0.6 cm diam., laterally convex, with

            1 dorsal ridge; spathe usually wrinkled or

            lobed along the margins; endemic to southern

            Peru.

                                                  17. D. plowmanii



          20. Seeds 0.7-1 cm diam., laterally concave, with

            3 dorsal ridges; spathe never wrinkled or lobed

            along the margins; Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,

            Brazil and Surinam.



            21. Inner surface of spathe densely covered

               with transparent scales; Colombia, Ecuador

               and Peru.

                                               3. D. asperispathum



            21. Inner surface of spathe semiglossy or

               velvety.



               22. Spathe 45-50 cm long, 10-15 cm wide,

                 abruptly acuminate apically; Amazonian

                 Ecuador and Peru.

                                               9. D. grandispathum



               22. Spathe 20-35 cm long, 3-6 cm wide,

                 gradually acuminate apically; southern

                 Costa Rica to Pacific Colombia, and

                 Amazonian Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and

                 Surinam.

                                                 22. D. spruceanum


Dracontium