Anthurium hookeri
The specimens named "Anthurium hookeri" sold all over the world are almost always hybrids and not the species. Anthurium hookeri possesses some very unique features.
This is the scientific description of Anthurium hookeri published in 1841:
A. hookeri Kunth, Enum. pl. 3:74. 1841. Type: Schott Drawing 517 serves as the lectotype (designated by Mayo, 1982)
Epiphyte. Internodes short, densely rooted; cataphylls lanceolate, 20-26 cm long, dilacerating from base. VERNATION- supervolute; Leaves rosulate; petioles triangular to D-shaped, 2-9 cm long, 1.5-1.7 cm wide; blades oblanceolate, broadest above middle, margins smooth, black glandular punctate on both surfaces, 35-89 cm long, 10-26 cm wide. primary lateral veins 9-15 per side, free to the margin, tertiary veins extending in a more or less parallel, ladder-like fashion between the primary lateral veins (scalariform). peduncle to 47 cm long, to 5 mm diam.; spathe pale green, tinged purple, oblong, to 9 cm long, to 1.5 cm wide; spadix violet-purple, cylindroid-tapered, to 10-16 cm long, to 5-7 mm diam,; Infructescence- berries, obovoid, whitish, to 6 mm long, to 4.5 mm wide.
The photo on this page does not show the characteristics in this scientific description and is possibly Anthurium plowmanii or a hybrid which includes that species as a parent.
Please note the following from the scientific information:
1) The venation of Anthurium hookeri is scalariforme. Scalariforme indicates a "ladder-like" arrangement to the major veins which should be evenly spaced.
2) The leaf margins are smooth.
3) Anthurium hookeri possesses tiny glandular punctuates on the leaves. Glandular punctate are tiny black-ish spots.
4) The berries of the inflorescence are white and not red as is often claimed on the internet.
5) The vernation of Anthurium hookeri is supervolute. The vernation or way a newly emerging leaf appears is convolute as well as similar to the shape of the tip of a conch shell. This is a fairly rare type of vernation in Araceae.
A complete discussion as well as photos of scientifically verified specimens from the Missouri Botanical Garden as well as a garden in France can be seen here:
http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Anthurium%20hookeri%20pc.html
This information was provided by Steve Lucas, www.ExoticRainforest.com and is based upon discussions with aroid botanist Dr. Thomas B. Croat of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis as well as aroid botanist David Scherberich in France.
| Bird's Nest Anthurium | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | A. hookeri
|
| Binomial name | |
| Anthurium hookeri | |
Anthurium hookeri, the Bird's Nest Anthurium, is a species of Anthurium.
 | This Anthurium-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |