Philippine Evergreen

Missour Botanical Garden

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Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Albo-variegatum’

Aglaonema commutatum albo-variegatum Graf, 1953, illustr. 5: fig. 24 [“albo-variegata”]; 1957, p. 70; 1959, p. 76; 1963, p. 119.

Graf described this cultivar as a sport. In the published photographs it looks exactly like A. commutatum var. maculatum except that the petioles are white, not green.

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Pewter’

Aglaonema ‘Pewter’ Graf, 1963, p. 1527 [under ‘Malay Beauty’].

As discussed under ‘Malay Beauty,’ I have identified that cultivar with a specimen closely approximating A. commutatum cv. ‘Pseudobracteatum’ in its petiolar measurements. Another specimen, Bunting 1372 (Ferrell’s Shack, Winter Park, Florida, 4 April 1962), that I identify with ‘Pewter,’ has petioles 35 cm long (longer than the leaf-blade) and the petiolar sheath 18 cm long (about half the petiole length).

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Pseudobracteatum’

Aglaonema pseudobracteatum Graf, 1953, p. 5, fig. 35.

A. ‘Pseudo-bracteatum’ Graf, 1957, p. 49; 1959, p. 39; 1963, pp. 37, 114.

This cultivar is distinguished by its massive variegation that eliminates most of the chlorophyll from both sides of the leaf and the petiole. The epithet is possibly a misapplication of A. robelinii lusus [sport] pseudobracteosum Engler (1915, p. 19, fig. 6). Engler applied this descriptive epithet to a plant with bractlike structures subtending the pistils, something not observed in living material nor in any of the descriptions or specimens of the cultivar under discussion.

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Fransher’

Aglaonema ‘Fransher’ Graf, 1963, p. 1526.

This cultivar was noted by Graf as a hybrid, A. treubii × marantifolium tricolor [A. commutatum cv. ‘Treubii’ × commutatum cv. ‘Tricolor’], and was named after Francis Scherr, founder of the Parrot Jungle in Miami, Florida. It is distinguished by variegated petioles, leaves heavily bicolored above, and speckled below along the midrib and lower main veins.

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Tricolor’

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Tricolor’ Nicolson, 1968, p. 125.

A. marantifolium tricolor Graf, 1953, p. 5, fig. 30.

There are two specimens from Mindoro, Philippines (Sulit and Conklin, PNH 16836, 17656) that apparently belong to this taxon; rather than validate the taxon as a botanical variety, however, I prefer to treat it as a cultivar. This cultivar is distinguished by its hazy to streaked leaf variegation affecting both sides of the leaf and its mottled to pink petioles.

It should be noted that a usual character of A. marantifolium appears in the wild material of this cultivar; i.e., the stipe exceeds the spathe decurrency by 0.3 cm. The presence of this characteristic on Mindoro plants is exceptional as it normally is restricted to the Moluccas and New Guinea. This may be an indication that A. marantifolium had a part in the evolution of A. commutatum.

17.Aglaonema crispum

Aglaonema crispum (Pitcher and Manda) Nicolson, 1968, p. 126.

Schismatoglottis crispa Pitcher and Manda, 1892, p. 95 [as “Schizmatoglottis”].

Aglaonema roebelinii Pitcher and Manda, 1894, p. 31.

Schismatoglottis robelinii (Pitcher and Manda) Pitcher and Manda, 1895, p. 141, pl. 138.

Aglaonema commutatum

Aglaonema commutatum Schott, 1856, p. 123.

Stems erect, becoming decumbent in older and larger specimens, 20–150 cm tall, 0.5–6.0 cm thick. Internodes 0.4–2.5 cm long. Petioles 6–25 (35) cm long, (0.4) 0.5–1.2 (1.4) times as long as the leaf-blade. Petiolar sheaths membranous but occasionally scarious. Leaf-blades usually narrowly oblong-elliptic to lanceolate but occasionally ovate, elliptic or oblong, (10) 13–30 (45) cm long, (2.5) 4–10 (20) cm wide, length/width ratio 1: (1.8)2.3–3.7(6), base often unequal, broadly acute, obtuse or subrounded, occasionally subcordate; apex often apiculate, acuminate to gradually acuminate, rarely shortly acuminate or broadly acute; variegation confluent in bars along the primary lateral veins, rarely in irregularly scattered spots (var. commutatum) ; venation differentiated into 4–7 (11) primary lateral veins diverging from the midrib at (20°) 45°–70°(80°); texture coriaceous. Peduncles solitary to 6 together, (4.5) 7—15 (20) cm long. Spathe light green, sometimes white, (3) 3.5–9.0 (12) cm long, (2) 2.8–4.0 (4.8) cm wide, decurrent for (0.2) 0.4–1.2 (2.0) cm. Stipe (0.2) 0.4–1.1 (2) cm long, rarely surpassing the spathe decurrency. Spadix thin-cylindric (1.6) 2–6 (7) cm long, usually more than 1 cm short of spathe apex but occasionally equaling it; pistillate portion 0.3–1.0 cm long, pistils (7) 10–18 (22); staminate portion (1.1) 1.5–4.0 (6) cm long, 0.4–0.6 cm thick. Fruits turning yellow, then bright red, ellipsoidal to obovoid, 1.6–2.5 cm long, 0.4–1.7 cm thick.

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 5).—Philippines and northeastern Celebes. The ability of this species to naturalize makes it difficult to be certain which collections are from the wild and which are escapes.

FLOWERING TIME.—June–September, the wet season in areas with pronounced seasons.

This species is quite variable but, with the exception of the typical variety, is always variegated in the same barred pattern. In some of the cultivars extreme variegation and albinism occur but the basic pattern is still evident. This consistent variegation pattern, coupled with its relatively restricted distribution, has led me to accept the complex as a single variable species.

The only hypothesis I can offer to explain the great variability in vegetative and reproductive characteristics is that it may have a hybrid origin. One of the most difficult areas in which to recognize and define species of Aglaonema is the area of the Philippines and Celebes. If all specimens from this general area are excluded from consideration, one has little difficulty in recognizing Aglaonema marantifolium (Moluccas and New Guinea), A. nitidum (most of western Malesia), and A. simplex (most of western Malesia). The moment one tries to include and account for the Philippine and Celebesian specimens, these otherwise distinct species begin to show extremely confusing exceptions and intergrades.

Aglaonema commutatum is one of the worst offenders in this regard. For instance, Aglaonema marantifolium has a long stipe and short spathe decurrency. These also occasionally occur in A. commutatum. Aglaonema nitidum has scarious petiolar sheaths. These also occasionally are found in A. commutatum. Aglaonema simplex typically has very short peduncles, but these also may occur in A. commutatum. Each of these characteristics is virtually definitive for the three principal species.

Why should the peripheral area of the Philippines and Celebes provide the exceptions? It seems reasonable to postulate a hybrid origin for the plants in this area, in particular for A. commutatum. This hypothesis is supported by what little cytological evidence is available. All chromosome counts of Aglaonema commutatum have been tetraploid or hexaploid and the plants were pollen-sterile and apomictic (see “Cytology,” p. 6).

A number of specific taxa have been proposed that appear to fall into this complex. After study of the specimens, I found it possible to accept all of these taxa by expanding their original concepts. This seemed preferable to completely submerging them or to proposing a whole series of new infraspecific taxa.

It was surprising to me that some of the taxa are apparently restricted to central Luzon and northeastern Celebes with nothing in between. This is only one of the many unsolved problems. Perhaps further field studies, particularly if combined with breeding experiments and cytological work, will clarify why simple morphology does not solve all the taxonomic problems.

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Malay Beauty’

Aglaonema ‘Malay Beauty’ Graf, 1963, pp. 117, 1527.

Noted by Graf as a free-growing horticultural variation of A. commutatum ‘Pseudobracteatum’ and perhaps a return toward normal from the extreme albino form. Graf also notes that this cultivar is called ‘Pewter.’ In the material available to me there are two specimens that would fit Graf’s general description. Bunting 1346 (Bamboo Nursery, Orlando, Florida, 3 April 1962) has petiole 12 cm long (0.5 times as long as the leaf-blade) and the petiolar sheath 10.5 cm long (about 0.9 times as long as the petiole). These measurements are similar to those of ‘Pseudobracteatum.’ I have identified this collection as ‘Malay Beauty.’ The other specimen with a much longer petiole was identified as ‘Pewter.’

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Parrot Jungle’

Aglaonema ‘Parrot Jungle’ Graf, 1963, pp. 117, 1527.

This cultivar is distinguished by having most of the leaf variegated above and none below. It was noted by Graf as a hybrid, A. curtisii × pictum tricolor [A. nitidum f. curtisii × pictum cv. ‘Tricolor’]. The distinctness of the putative parents suggests that they may have been misidentified.

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Treubii’

Aglaonema commutatum cv. ‘Treubii’ Nicolson, 1968, p. 125.

A. treubii sensu Graf, 1953, p. 6, fig. 38; 1957, p. 69; 1959, p. 79; 1963, p. 117 [not Engler, 1898].

This cultivar is distinguished by its narrow leaves and long spathe (equaling the peduncle). Comparable spathe length is also found in A. commutatum cv. ‘Pseudobracteatum’ and var. robustum. This cultivar approaches A. commutatum var. elegans in its leaf shape and its long spathe. Perhaps it is only a selection or sport of that variety.

In the trade “treubii” is consistently used as a specific epithet for this cultivar, but it apparently represents a misidentification of A. treubii Engler (1898) as amended by Engler (1915). Engler’s (1915) description clearly does not agree with the cultivated material in the following points: he described the variegation as being along the midrib (“juxta costam”) and the leaf-blade as 7–12 cm wide (length/width ratio of 1:2.5–2.9). It is true that there is confusion about the identification of A. treubii Enger (see “Dubious Binomials,” p. 60, no. 5) but it seems clear that the material in the trade is not truly A. treubii Engler.

I have seen two collections of this taxon from the Philippines that may have been from the wild but that I suspect were from cultivation. Since the taxon is only known from cultivation, it seems best to treat it as a cultivar.

Aglaonema commutatum, the poison dart plant, is a species of flowering plant in the Chinese evergreen genus Aglaonema, family Araceae. It is native to the Philippines and northeastern Sulawesi, and has been introduced to other tropical locales, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Comoros, the Chagos Archipelago, India, Bangladesh, and the Cook Islands. Its hybrid cultivar 'Silver Queen' (with A. nitidum) has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as a houseplant.