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Pothos degenerans S.Y.Wong, P.C.Boyce & A.Hay

Introduction & Overview

Common and Scientific Names

  • Scientific Name: Pothos degenerans S.Y.Wong, P.C.Boyce & A.Hay
  • Common Name: None widely recorded

Quick Facts

  • Origin: Central Borneo (Sarawak and Kalimantan)
  • Features: Narrowly elliptic, coriaceous leaves with a paler midrib; spadix almost straight, purplish‑brown, with up to three sessile florets

Taxonomy & Classification

  • Genus: Pothos
  • Botanical Background: Described in Webbia 75: 91 (2020) by Wong, Boyce & Hay. Named for its “reduced” blooms—the smallest recorded in the genus—degenerans alludes to the minimal number of florets per spadix.

Natural Habitat & Distribution

  • Geographical Range: Known from two lowland localities in central Borneo, approximately 300 km apart (Sarawak and West Kalimantan)
  • Environment: Grows in wet tropical biomes on forested ridges and riverine sites up to 200 m above sea level. Prefers high humidity, well‑drained soils derived from sedimentary substrates

Morphological Characteristics

Leaves

  • Stiff yet thinly coriaceous
  • Blade 5–11 × 1.5–3 cm, narrowly elliptic, acute apex, subacute to obtuse base
  • Abaxial surface medium brown when dried, midrib paler

Inflorescence (Spadix & Spathe)

  • Spathe ovate‑concave, ~4 × 4 mm, purplish brown

  • Spadix stipitate (stipe ~10 × 0.9 mm), fertile portion ~10 × 1.5 mm, slender, almost straight

  • Up to three sessile florets (~2 mm diameter) with tepals basally fused, loosely clustered; stamens six, free; pistil oblong‑cylindric

Growth Habit

  • A nomadic, root‑climbing leptocaul vine with differentiated stems
  • Adherent orthotropic stems, free lateral fertile stems, and short, leafless flowering shoots arising below the petiole insertion

Cultivation & Care

Light Requirements

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

Watering & Humidity

  • Water when the top 2 cm of soil dries
  • Maintain high humidity (60–80%)

Soil & Potting Mix

  • Use a well‑draining mix (e.g., equal parts peat, perlite, and orchid bark) in a pot with drainage holes

Temperature & Fertilizer

  • Ideal range 18–30 °C
  • Feed monthly during active growth with a balanced, water‑soluble fertilizer at half strength

Propagation Methods

Division & Cuttings

  • Root‑climbing stem cuttings with at least one node are most reliable
  • Keep cuttings warm and humid until rooted

Seeds

  • Unknown—fruiting has not been observed in cultivated or wild specimens

Common Pests & Diseases

Typical Issues

  • Spider mites and mealybugs
  • Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot

Treatment Recommendations

  • Neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays
  • Systemic insecticides for severe infestations; use according to label instructions

Notable Traits & Uses

  • Has the smallest inflorescences recorded in Pothos
  • Each spadix bearing no more than three florets
  • Sought by aroid collectors for its miniature blooms and compact foliage


Conservation & Availability

Wild Population Status

  • Known from very few collections
  • Not yet assessed by the IUCN but potentially vulnerable due to limited range

Market Availability

  • Rare in cultivation
  • Rarely offered by nurseries

References & Resources

Further Reading

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