With only one species known, endemic to N. Madagascar, this exquisite little genus has long been out of reach for us aroid lovers. Recently it has been recollected by a dutchman (!) living in Madagascar.

The genus was established by French botanist Samuel Buchet in 1939. The only thorough taxonomic attention it ever got was in a publication by Josef Bogner (1972), dealing with the tribe Arophyteae, to which Colletogyne belongs. In this exclusively Madagascan tribe, Colletogyne is joined by Arophyton Jumelle and Carlephyton Jumelle.

Colletogyne perrieri S. Buchet is a small tuberous plant, seasonally dormant and when growing producing 1 (rarely 2) leaf per season. Alongside the leaf 2-3 inflorescences may develop. The spathe and spadix are exquisitely coloured in a fine pattern of reddish purple spots on a whitish background. The lower, female, part of the spadix is fused to the spathe (hence the name: kolletos = glued, gyne = female). The lower, female, flowers consist of one ovary + style + stigma and the ovary plus lower part of the style are covered by an urn-shaped “coat”, the synandrodium (forget that word immediately!!). The upper flowers are exclusively male and consist each of only one single anther.

Literature:

Aroideana has 4 articles on Colletogyne. Click Here to see them all.

Colletogyne perrieri S. Buchet

Please send any comments to