Dracontium is a genus of flowering plants similar to those of Amorphophallus. Unlike Amorphophallus which is found in the Old World, this genus has a New World distribution and is native to South America, Central America, southern Mexico, and the West Indies.[2][3][4]

Dracontium
1880 Botanical illustration of Dracontium spruceanum[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Subfamily: Lasioideae
Genus: Dracontium
Blume ex Decne.
Species

See text

Synonyms[2]
  • Eutereia Raf.
  • Echidnium Schott
  • Ophione Schott
  • Chersydrium Schott
  • Godwinia Seem.

Dracontium species can be distinguished from related genera by their inflorescence, which is smaller and unisexual.[5] The plant has a large tuber similar to that of Amorphophallus, but rounder, and with no central and circular scar mark. When Dracontium plants begin to flower, the tuber swells and smoothens.[5][6]

Species

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More than 20 Dracontium species have been described:[7]

References

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  1. ^ Fitch (d. 1927) - Curtis's Botanical Magazine v.106 [ser.3:v.36] (1880)
  2. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ erts, 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.
  4. ^ Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2015-08-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
  5. ^ a b Bown, Demi (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-485-7.
  6. ^ Zhu, G. h. & T. B. Croat. 2004. Revision of Dracontium (Araceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 91(4): 593–667
  7. ^ "Dracontium". The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden. 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2013.