# Another Plant I.D.



## DJ (Dec 9, 2004)

I had hoped to find the I.D. of this plant on my own but I couldn't find a match. Just a local Home Depot find. I think the "runner" coming off the side (as seen in the first pic) has thrown me off track. Any help, including max. size and/or care requirements, appreciated.

Thanks,
DJ


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## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

It looks kind of like a type of alocasia, but someone with more of a green thumb will speak up.


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Hey DJ,

Nice find, I might have to take a trip to the local HD. I'm not really familiar with this genus, but I think it could be Syngonium wendlandii. 










I also found a similar plant referred to as Syngonium wendlandii "Scrambled Eggs".










Cheers,
Mike


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## DJ (Dec 9, 2004)

Thanks Mike. That definitely seems to be what I have, although just the normal cultivar and not "Scrambled Eggs." I haven't seen these before "up north" and so it's definitely a nice find. I would love to track down S. rayii, now that I have had a chance to investigate the genus after you pointed me in the right direction.

Thanks again,
DJ


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Cool, glad that helped. I've never seen the plant you have before, but I've had a couple syngoniums for a while and that's what your photos reminded me of. S. rayii is a nice plant and tries to take over with it's long runners, but trimming is a good way to manage it. You should be able to find it for sale online through at least one or two of the sponsors, maybe even locally. There are some nice pink syngomiums out there too if you like the genus.

Best,
Mike


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*I think I got it...*

Okay, is your boy about 12" tall, by 12" wide, w rambling vines, and 4-5" leaves? 

If so, it is too big, and the leaves certainly too long, to be _Syngonium rayi_....

And do the leaves feel a bit "velvety" to your touch?

Are you sitting down? Because it is not a Syngonium at all...

That is _Schismatoglottis emarginata_, an aroid from Borneo.

In my opinion, the single most underrated terrarium plant in the history of the federation. 

My tanks get way too hot in the summer (high 80s--low 90s) live w a PETA treehugger who believes we have no right to be comfortable when we are raping the planet, hence, no AC) and this thing just laughs....


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I'm pretty sure this is Syngonium wendlandii. It looks like it to me and has the correct gowth habit. George, I'm not familiar with that Schis. Any pictures of it?


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

It sure looks like either Syngonium wendlandii or a variation of rayii to me, especially the way that it forms the climbing "runners"....


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Guys:

I be's confused...

First, it does seem to big, and the petioles to long, to be rayi.

Back in thelate 1990s I ided this as _Syngonium ]wenlandtii_ this was common for about 5-7 years--disappeared in the trade aftr 9/11. I always thought this odd...) 

However, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden grows it, and they insists that it is _Schismatoglottis emarginata_. Does the Syn wendlandtii have a velvety leaf? Even my buddy Michael RIley--who knows aroids--is not sure of the positive ID of this guy.

I have no adamantine opinion, as I am not a botanist--I just listened to the 'experts." (Well, I am pretty definite it ain't a morning glory


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

This is definitely Syngonium wendlandii. Schismattoglottis grow more like an Alocasia (i.e.--they don't send out long runners, but underground rhizomatous offsets). Like other Syngonium sp., they will change leaf shape as they grow high into the canopy (shouldn't ever be an issue in a vivarium). 

As to the mis-identification at a botanical garden--it happens all the time. Sometimes visitors move signs, sometimes vendors mislabel plants when sending them to the garden, but usually it is because the person labelling the plants doesn't know an aroid from an avacado....


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## DJ (Dec 9, 2004)

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I'm quite convinced it's Syngonium wendlandii based on all of the searches I've done after Mike's original suggestion. There are a number of online pics that match what I've got to a tee. I'm curious as to how the leaf shape changes as they grow into the canopy, though, as mentioned, not likely to be an issue in a viv.

DJ


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*Re: Oh, the pain...*

Again, I have no definite opinion.

I just listened to the "professionals" at the BBG (In rhetoric, this is called an "argument from authority," e.g., Distinguished Professor Nutjob says Paris is the capital of Neptune, ergo it is true--or, Phil Gramm has a PhD in economics, ergo we should listen to him...)

YEARS ago, I asked them if this was not, in fact, _Syn wenlandtii_. "Oh, no"--Their reasoning was, syngoniums are vines. This is not a vine; rather it sends out short runners with new crowns... Oh, really? Is that not what _S. rayi_ does?? And by the way, how come the mature form of this plant gets tri-lobed leaves (I have grown it as houseplant--rambling, but interesting. Way nicer shape than the rambling _Syn. erythrophyllum_.) I said it was a Syngonium; they firmly argued that i should not assume the growers always know what they have..

Yep--I listened to _these_ geniuses...

Does your plant have a velvety texture? Mine does! Back when I was young and uncorrupted--when I thought this was _Syn wenlandtii_--I thought this a bigger"cousin" of_ S. rayi_ 

HOWEVER, for me this actually blows...

_REALLY BLOWS_

See, my tank has a logical motif: the left side is neotropical (bromeliads, Episcia, Pleurothallis); the center, African (Begonia 'Buttercup,' ANubias the right side, Asian. Of course, this makes eminent sense--like a mecator projection (after all, is not Europe the "center" of the world :shock: 

Yet now I learn this is a Syngonium  (I am assuming, of course, that none of you guys is Professor Nutjob...)

So--where the hell am I gonna get an Asian aroid with only moderate-sized leaves (maybe half the size of one's hand, tops). This is important, as not to block the under-story plants. In other words, an Asian analog of S. rayi or a mini Spathiphyllum? 

I know no Alocasia with smaller leaves; besides my tank is fairly wet. And yes, I tried Colocasia 'Black Magic Mini'--needs higher light to stay purple. 

Please--do not make me lie to little kids and old ladies, claiming, oh, this is an Asian Syngonium...

P. S.

I reiterate, btw--this may be the most underrated plant in our hobby. Absolutely stately in a terrarium. In fact, it looks better as time goes by. 

Great plant.


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