ALOCASIA CULIONENSIS
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
Philippines: Culion Island, on damp, shady ground
SYNONYMS: Urinkokuk (in the language of the Yakan, living on the island of Basilan); Alocasia 'Philippine Slim'
DISTRIBUTION: Philippines | Luzon, Palawan, Basilan, Culion, Balabac, Mindoro, Mindanao, Leyte, Busuanga, Panay
CLIMATE: Subtropical humid climate
Humidity is moderate throughout the year, ranging from 60% to 70%
Temperature is varies between the seasons - within the range of 48°F/9°C to 88°F/31°C during the day. Minimum temperatures never dip below 45°F/7°C
Rainy and humid season (October to May) and a dry season between June and October. The average annual rainfall is 1,200 mm
ECOLOGY: Lowland rain forest, on damp, shady ground
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Moderately robust herb to ca. 70 cm tall; stem erect, ca. 2 cm thick; leaves several together, ?not interspersed with cataphylls; petiole to ca. 45 cm long, sheathing in the lower third; blade sagittate to hastate, ca. 35^5 cm long; anterior lobe narrowly triangular to triangular, sometimes with a faintly undulate margin, 10-18 cm wide at base, with 3-5 primary lateral veins on each side of the anterior costa diverging at 60-80°; axillary glands inconspicuous; secondary venation fine, rather distant (ca. 3-4 mm apart), arising from the primary at a wide angle, then rather abruptly deflected to the margin and forming rather disorganised interprimary collective veins only towards the margin, flush with the lamina on both sides; posterior lobes diverging at an obtuse to very obtuse angle, spreading, tapering to sub-rhomboid to narrowly round-ended, 11-20 cm long; posterior costae naked in the sinus for 2-5 cm
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescences clustered, ca. 6-8 together, subtended by lanceolate cataphylls ca. 12 cm long; peduncle to ca. 20 cm long; spathe ca. 8-9 cm long; lower spathe 2-3 cm long, separated from the limb by a long gradual constriction; limb narrowly lanceolate, white, eventually reflexed, the tip mucronate for ca. 1 cm, the mucro straight spadix somewhat shorter than the spathe, stipitate for 2.5 mm, the stipe free but obliquely inserted; female zone 5 mm long; ovaries more or less flask-shaped, upturned, ca. 1 mm diam.; style ca. 0.5 mm long; stigma weakly 2-3-lobed; sterile interstice short, ca. 4 mm long, composed of two whorls of massive synandrodia filling the upper part of the lower spathe cavity; male zone ca. 1.4 cm long, cylindric, ca. 5 mm diam. (dry); synandria rhombo-hexagonal, ca. 1.5 mm diam., thecae opening by apical pores not capped by synconnective; appendix 1.7 cm long, tapering; fruiting spathe ovoid, ca. 3 cm diam.
VARIEGATED FORMS: N/A
ETYMOLOGY: The name comes from the Philippine island of Culion, where this species was first discovered
NOTES:
This species is very similar to A. heterophylla in inflorescence form, sharing the weakly constricted spathe, flask shaped up-turned pistils beneath massive synandrodia occupying the upper part of the lower spathe chamber. It differs in the relatively shorter appendix, relatively longer male zone, the overall larger size of the inflorescences arranged into larger synflorescences, the larger leaves with finer secondary venation and widely diverging posterior lobes that are never peltate. In the herbarium, the two are easily separated in aspect and do not exhibit intergrading. However, the listed differences are somewhat trivial, at least individually. While the distributions of these two species, as recognised here, overlap, Alocasia culionensis has a more southerly emphasis. The matter of distinction of these species may be more satisfactorily resolved by further field work.
Other specimens seen: Basilan, Isabela de Basilan, Ebalo 938 (H); Palawan, Ebalo & Conklin 1275 (H); Sulu Archipelago, Jolo, Siasi, Kondo & Edaho PNH 38757 (H); Busuanga Isl., Malbato, Marche B229 (P); Palawan, Lake Manguao, Merrill 9568 (K, US); Balabac, Dalawan Bay, Olsen 535 (L); Leyte, Dagami, Ramos BS 15353 (US); Mindoro, Paluan, Ramos BS 39602 (K, P, US); Busuanga Isl., Ramos BS 41235 (US); Mindanao, Davao Prov., Mati, Ramos & Edaho s.n. (UC); Panay, Capiz Prov., Jamindan, Ramos & Edaho BS 31264 (BO, L); Balabac Isl, Ramos & Edaho BS 49709 (UC); Luzon, Sorsogon Prov., Mt Bulusan, Sulit PNH 2649 (US).
CULTIVARS: N/A
HYBRIDS: N/A
