海南藤芋 hai nan teng yu

Rhaphidophora maclurei Merrill, Philipp. J. Sci. 21: 337. 1922; Scindapsus megaphyllus Merrill.

Lianas. Stem robust, ca. 2.5 cm in diam. Petiole 26-32 cm, base imbricate, sheath reaching pulvinus; leaf blade pale green abaxially, green adaxially, drying pale brown, oblong-elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 23-46 × 12-24 cm, leathery, base subcordate, margin entire, apex acute or shortly acuminate; lateral veins numerous, diverging at 70-80° from midrib. Peduncle robust. Spathe yellow, involute-tubular, 18-22 cm, apex acuminate. Spadix sessile, cylindric, ca. 15 × 2.5 cm. Filaments ca. 4 mm; anthers ovoid, ca. 3 mm. Fruit ca. 9 × 5 mm, apex truncate, 1-loculed, 1-seeded. Fl. Nov-Dec.

Dense tropical forests, creeping and climbing on trees and stone walls; 400-600 m. Hainan [N Thailand, N Vietnam].

Scindapsus maclurei differs from the vegetatively very similar Rhaphidophora megaphylla in leaf venation (primary lateral veins numerous and not differentiated from the interprimary veins, diverging at 70-80° from midrib in S. maclurei vs. primary lateral veins 10-13 on each side, diverging at 80-90° from midrib, and strongly differentiated from the interprimary veins in R. megaphylla).