ALOCASIA ‘PURPLEY’
Alocasia sanderiana x Alocasia longiloba ‘Watsoniana’
PARENTAGE: A. sanderiana x A. longiloba ‘Watsoniana’
SYNONYMS: N/A
HYBRIDIZER: William Rotolante, Silver Krome Gardens - circa 2020
VARIEGATED FORMS: N/A
DESCRIPTION: Alocasia ‘Purpley’ is a mutant discovered by Bill Rotolante in tissue culture liners of Alocasia ‘Amazonica’. The ‘Purpley’ epithet is due to the purple tint that is visible on the adaxial sides at certain angles and in certain types of lighting.
The original cross has been one of the most prolific in the genus Alocasia, with some of its “cousins” being more famously known than the others:
Alocasia ‘Amazonica’ by Salvadore Mauro of Amazon Nursery
Alocasia ‘Balloon Heart’ - South Korea
Alocasia ‘Mark Campbell’ by David Fell of Hawaiian Sunshine Nursery
Alocasia ‘Mortefontanensis’ by Édouard-François André
Alocasia ‘Polly’ by Bill Rotolante of Silver Krome Gardens
Alocasia ‘Venom’ by Mason Lee of Mason Plants
Given the high variability of what literature labeled as Alocasia longiloba it is not surprising that the results of this cross by multiple hybridizers have produced such different hybrids. One can group Alocasia ‘Jean Merkel’ and Alocasia ‘Mark Campbell’ together, while Alocasia ‘Amazonica’, Alocasia ‘Mortefontanesis’ and Alocasia ‘Purpley’ are also closely related.
INFLORESCENCE: Identical to Alocasia ‘Amazonica’, green spathe and green floral chamber
HYBRID DUPES:
Sellers and buyers often confuse Alocasia ‘Polly’ with Alocasia ‘Amazonica’. The former has much more defined venation, pronounced scalopping, a thicker leaf, and has a more oval leaf shape, whereas Alocasia ‘Amazonica’ has distinct V-shaped leaves
