Nephthytis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Alismatales

Familia: Araceae
Subfamilia: Aroideae
Tribus: Nephthytideae
Genus: Nephthytis
Species: N. afzelii – N. bintuluensis – N. hallaei – N. mayombensis – N. poissonii – N. swainei
Source(s) of checklist:

Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. Nephthytis in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Nov. 05. Reference page.

Name

Nephthytis Schott, 1857

Type Species: Nephthytis afzelii Schott.

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Oligogynium Engl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 4: 64 (1883).

References

Schott, H.W., 1857. Oesterr. Bot. Wochenbl. 7: 406

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. Nephthytis in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Nov. 05. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Nephthytis. Published online. Accessed: Nov. 05 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Nephthytis in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Nov. 05.
Tropicos.org 2018. Nephthytis. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Nov. 05.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Nephthytis in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.

Vernacular names

Nephthytis is a genus of eight species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical western Africa, with one species in Borneo.[1][2][3]

They are herbaceous plants growing from a rhizome. The leaves are evergreen, light and dark green, 15–35 cm long, and are usually arrowhead-shaped, with three lobes. The leaf shape can vary depending on the age of the plant.

Cultivation

Some species are popular houseplants. If so, they must be kept away from any pets, as they are poisonous. When grown indoors as a decorative houseplant, it needs frequent watering to keep the soil moist. It prefers temperatures that are comfortable to humans, as with most plants. It functions well as a hanging or terrarium plant. The most common of its problems is root rot and can be avoided by providing adequate drainage. This can also be caused by allowing the plant to sit in water. As for other problems, scale insects can also affect it. If this happens, scrape them off and isolate the plant. For this kind of problem, pesticides and sprays do not always work as the shell of the insect protects it. If this becomes a severe problem, you will have to get rid of the plant. Also if this happens, make sure it is moved away from any other surrounding plants because the bugs could infect them as well. Other than that, this plant is very easy to take care of and thus, it is good for beginners. Propagation of Nephthytis is fairly easy as well. It can be propagated by layering and from cuttings.

Certain Nephthytis species are poisonous to cats and dogs. Symptoms are oral irritation and vomiting.
Syngonium podophyllum

An unrelated American species, Syngonium podophyllum, commonly grown as a houseplant, was originally confused with the similar-looking Nephthytis. It still retains Nephthytis as a common name, though it was given its own genus in 1879.
Species

Species recognized by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families:[1]

Nephthytis afzelii Schott - West Africa from Congo-Brazzaville to Sierra Leone
Nephthytis bintuluensis A.Hay, Bogner & P.C.Boyce - Sarawak
Nephthytis hallaei Bogner - Gabon
Nephthytis mayombensis de Namur & Bogner - Congo-Brazzaville
Nephthytis poissonii (Engl.) N.E.Br. - Congo-Brazzaville, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria
Nephthytis swainei Bogner - Ivory Coast, Ghana, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Cameroon

References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1-560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Hay, Alistair, Bogner, Josef, & Boyce, Peter Charles. 1994. Nephthytis Schott (Araceae) in Borneo: a new species and a new generic record for Malesia. Novon 4:365-368.