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Part
I
Anthuriums
are grown as both cut flowers and pot plants. Anthurium Andreanum, the cut flower
anthurium, belongs to the Araceae family. The Araceae family includes over 100 genera and
1500 species, mainly from the tropics. A few major members of this family are the pig tail
anthurium, philodendron, monstrea, taro, calla lily, caladium, anglaonema and
diffenbachia.
Anthuriums are herbaceous perennials of the new world tropics and are the largest genus of
the aroid family. The most famous of anthurium is Anthurium
andreanum. Anthurium andreanum
has been hybridized and selected for many years for use in the cut flower trade. Hawaii
has created a lucrative industry supplying a multitude of colored spathes (modified
leaves) for floral commerce around the world.
Name:
The name of Anthurium is derived from the Greek words anthos and
oura, which respectively
mean flower and tail.
Origin:
The first discovered Anthurium species is called in full Anthurium
scherzerianum, named
after its discoverer Von Scherzer. The product was discovered in the tropical rain forests
of Middle and South America. Guatemala is called the motherland of the
Anthurium. During
the course of time more than five hundred species have been discovered in these
forests.
The andreanum became especially known as a cut flower.
United Kingdom was the first to introduce anthurium andreanum in the early 19th century to
Hawaii.
Characteristics:
Anthuriums are monocots, which exhibit a wide variety growth habits and fill a range of
niches in a diverse array of habitats. They grow mostly as epiphytes in the tropics of the
new world but also may be found as terrestrials and lithophytes in habitats which range
from high altitude cloud forest to habitats approaching desert. Some are only found
growing in association with arboreal ant nests, others are found only on boulders in the
middle of mountain streams. They occur from northern Mexico and the Greater Antilles to
southern Brazil and northern Argentina and Paraguay from lower to middle elevations with
diversity reaching a fever pitch in Panama, Columbia and Ecuador. The very wet mountain
ranges in these countries provide the perfect combination of rain, variation in altitude
and habitat for evolution to perform its mastery on this genus.
The anthurium is a perennial herbaceous plant. Anthuriums are cultivated for their
colorful spathe. The anthurium flower is small and insignificant. Hundreds of small
flowers are carried on the spadix, rising from the base of the
spathe.
The anthurium produces flowers throughout the year.
A few facts about Anthurium Andreanum:
Common Name: Cresta de gallo, Cockscomb
Family: Araceae Juss
Habitat: wet forest at elevations of 400-1300 m
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: Arecidae
Order: Arales
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