Anthurium warocqueanum

Anthurium warocqueanum
1880 illustration from L'Illustration horticole
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Anthurium
Species:	A. warocqueanum
Binomial name
Anthurium warocqueanum T.Moore [1]

Anthurium warocqueanum, commonly known as the Queen Anthurium, is a species of plant in the genus Anthurium.[1] Native to Colombia, it is grown in more temperate climates as a greenhouse specimen or houseplant for its ornamental foliage.

Description

Anthurium warocqueanum is a member species within Cardiolonchium—the so-called “velvet-leaved” Anthuriums, as they have a covering of tiny, flattened short “hairs” with a texture similar to that of velvet. Fellow velvet-leaf species include some of the most popular and famous plants today, such as A. crystallinum, A. regale, and A. magnificum.[2]

Queen Anthuriums grow as epiphytic creepers in the rainforests of Colombia, between 400–1,200 metres (1,300–3,900 ft) in elevation. The leaves range from light-green to very dark greenish-black, and can mature to 3-4 feet long and 15 inches wide.[3][4] It has a green spathe and spadix, and produces red berries.[4]

History and horticulture

Named for the Belgian industrialist and horticulturalist Arthur Warocqué (1835-1880),[5] the queen Anthurium was first collected from Colombia in 1874 by Gustav Wallis (along with Anthurium veitchii) during his time working for Veitch Nurseries.[6] Long sought after for its stunning foliage, Anthurium warocqueanum is well known for being difficult to care for, requiring high humidity, indirect light, and well-draining soil.[3]

References

1. "Anthurium warocqueanum". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
2. Kamemoto, Haruyuki; Kuehnle, Adelheid R. (1997-01-01). Breeding Anthuriums in Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-8248-1645-2.
3. Offolter, Enid (2022-05-31). Welcome to the Jungle: Rare Tropical Houseplants to Collect, Grow, and Love. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-9848-5995-2.
4. Bown, Deni (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. pp. 208–209. ISBN 978-0-88192-485-5.
5. Johnson, A. T.; Smith, H. A.; Stockdale, A. (2019-04-03). Plant Names Simplified: Their Pronunciation, Derivation and Meaning (3rd ed.). 5m Books Ltd. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-912178-81-0.
6. Boyce, Peter (1995). "271. Anthurium Warocqueanum". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 12 (3): 127–130. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8748.1995.tb00501.x. ISSN 1355-4905. JSTOR 45065106.

External links