Syngonium

This article is about the genus. For the most commonly cultivated species, see Syngonium podophyllum.
Syngonium
Syngonium podophyllum var. podophyllum[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Subfamily: Aroideae
Tribe: Caladieae
Genus: Syngonium
Schott
Synonyms[2]

Porphyrospatha Engl.

Syngonium plant with fruits creeping over the tree at Chiapas, Mexico

Syngonium /sɪŋˈɡoʊniəm/[3] is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical rain forests in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America.[2] They are woody vines growing to heights of 10–20 m or more in trees. They have leaves that change shape according to the plant's stage of growth, and adult leaf forms are often much more lobed than the juvenile forms usually seen on small house plants.

Cultivation

Syngonium species are often grown as house plants, usually only in the juvenile foliage stages. Syngonium podophyllum is the most commonly cultivated species, and is often referred to simply as Syngonium. For successful growth, a winter minimum temperature 16 °C to 18 °C (60 to 65°F) must be maintained, rising to 20 °C to 30 °C (68 to 86°F) during the growing season. They require high humidity, including misting the leaves regularly, and good light, but not direct sunlight; they will tolerate low light levels. Water freely from spring to autumn, sparingly in winter. Feed regularly in spring and summer. If juvenile foliage is preferred, cut off all the climbing stems that develop — the plant will remain bushy, rather than climb, and the leaves will be more arrow-shaped. Repot every second spring. Propagation is by cuttings or air layering.

Species[2]
  1. Syngonium angustatum Schott - Mexico, Central America, Colombia; naturalized in Bahamas, Netherlands Antilles, Bismarck Archipelago
  2. Syngonium armigerum (Standl. & L.O.Williams) Croat - Costa Rica
  3. Syngonium atrovirens G.S.Bunting - Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia
  4. Syngonium auritum (L.) Schott - Greater Antilles
  5. Syngonium castroi Grayum - Costa Rica
  6. Syngonium chiapense Matuda - Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Guatemala
  7. Syngonium chocoanum Croat - Colombia
  8. Syngonium crassifolium (Engl.) Croat - Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia
  9. Syngonium dodsonianum Croat - Ecuador
  10. Syngonium erythrophyllum Birdsey ex G.S.Bunting - Panama
  11. Syngonium foreroanum Croat - Colombia
  12. Syngonium gentryanum Croat - Peru
  13. Syngonium harlingianum Croat - Ecuador
  14. Syngonium hastiferum (Standl. & L.O.Williams) Croat - Costa Rica, Honduras
  15. Syngonium hastifolium Engl. - Peru, northwestern Brazil
  16. Syngonium hoffmannii Schott - Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
  17. Syngonium laterinervium Croat - Costa Rica, Panama
  18. Syngonium llanoense Croat - Panama
  19. Syngonium macrophyllum Engl. - Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador
  20. Syngonium mauroanum Birdsey ex G.S.Bunting - Costa Rica, Panama
  21. Syngonium meridense G.S.Bunting - Mérida State in Venezuela
  22. Syngonium neglectum Schott - widespread across much of Mexico
  23. Syngonium oduberi T.Ray - Costa Rica
  24. Syngonium podophyllum Schott - Trinidad & Tobago, Latin America from Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia; naturalized in Bahamas, West Indies, Florida, Hawaii, Seychelles, Borneo, Malaysia
  25. Syngonium rayi Grayum - Costa Rica, Panama
  26. Syngonium sagittatum G.S.Bunting - Oaxaca
  27. Syngonium salvadorense Schott - Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador
  28. Syngonium schottianum H.Wendl. ex Schott - Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
  29. Syngonium sparreorum Croat - Ecuador
  30. Syngonium standleyanum G.S.Bunting - Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua
  31. Syngonium steyermarkii Croat - Chiapas, Guatemala
  32. Syngonium triphyllum Birdsey ex Croat - Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador
  33. Syngonium wendlandii Schott - Costa Rica
  34. Syngonium yurimaguense Engl. - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, northwestern Brazil

References

  1. ↑ Adolf Engler - Das Pflanzenreich vol. 71 (1920)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ↑ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607

External links