ALOCASIA ‘KUCHING MASK’

(Alocasia longiloba x Alocasia odora) x Alocasia macrrorhizos ‘Borneo Giant’

PARENTAGE: (Alocasia longiloba x Alocasia odora) x Alocasia macrrorhizos ‘Borneo Giant’

SYNONYMS: N/A

HYBRIDIZER: Brian Williams of Brian’s Botanicals created Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ in June of 2015 and registered it in 2019 under US Plant Patent 31784

VARIEGATION: N/A

DESCRIPTION: The female parent of Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ differs from the hybrid in having foliage that is smaller in size and less elongated and a shorter plant size growing to only 1.2 m in height. The male parent of Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’, Alocasia macrorrhizos ‘Borneo Giant’, differs from ‘he hybrid in having foliage that is wider, a larger plant height of 3.6 m, cold hardiness to U.S.D.A. Zone 9, and susceptibility to root rot. Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ can be most closely compared to the Alocasia ‘Mayan Mask’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,391) and plants of the species Alocasia ‘Amazonica’.

Alocasia ‘Mayan Mask’ is similar to Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ in having large green leaves with light color veins and similar cold hardiness. Alocasia ‘Mayan Mask’ differs from Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ in having a shorter plant height of 1.8 m, a dark maroon leaf color on the lower surface, tubers that are smaller in size and longer leaves. Alocasia ‘Amazonica’ is similar to Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ in having hastate shaped foliage and in producing tubers. Alocasia ‘Amazonica’ differs from Alocasia ‘Kuching Mask’ in having a much shorter plant height, leaves that are shorter in length, smaller tubers, and sensitivity to cold and wet soil which results in root rot.

INFLORESCENCE: The inflorescence typically measures 17 cm in length and 3.5 cm in width. The inflorescence bud is linear to slightly narrow lanceolate, averaging 14 cm in length and 3 cm in width, with a color range from 144A to 144D. The flowers emit a slight sweet fragrance and bloom intermittently during the flowering period, with each flower lasting approximately 2 to 3 weeks. On average, the spadix bears 130 sessile female flowers, while the sessile male flowers remain undeveloped.

The spathe is hooded, acting as a bract beneath the spadix, averaging 16 cm in length and 5.5 cm in width with an entire margin. The bottom portion is elliptic, about 7 cm long and 3.5 cm wide, with a truncated base and fused apex to the upper section, which is broad lanceolate in shape, averaging 12 cm in length and 5.5 cm in width with a cuspidate apex. All surfaces are leathery, smooth, and glabrous. The coloration of the upper portion's outer and inner surfaces is 151D (bright golden), while the lower portion's outer surface is 138C and the inner surface ranges between 139D and 142C near the apex.

The spadix's male portion, positioned above the female zone, is upright and phallus-like in shape, with a narrowly pointed apex, and averages 12 cm in length and 1.3 mm in width, transitioning in color from 159B at the top to 158A at the base. The female portion is conical, measuring on average 2.7 cm in length and 1.4 cm in width, and is colored 160D.

The peduncle emerges from the plant's base, oval in shape, averaging 20 cm in length and 2 cm in diameter, noted for its durability and strength, colored 144D with a leathery, smooth surface.

Regarding the reproductive organs, the gynoecium consists of a single pistil with sessile, discoid stigmas colored 158B. The monocarpous ovary is round, approximately 1.5 mm in both length and width, and contains numerous minute ovules, which are oval and translucent, and NN155C in color. The androecium is undeveloped in the plants observed, with no pollen detected, and no fruit or seed production has been noted.

To decipher the descriptions above, please refer to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Color Charts