Anubias afzelii

Anubias afzelii Schott

Anubias afzelii is a species in the Araceae family, first described by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott in 1857. It is native to the Afrotropical region, including countries such as Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. This species is the type species of the genus Anubias, which was described simultaneously with A. afzelii. The plant is characterized by a prostrate rhizome and elongate-lanceolate to oblong-elliptic leaves, with a petiole that can be as long as or longer than the leaf-blade in cultivated specimens. The inflorescence features a green, narrowly tubular spathe and a spadix with densely flowered male and female parts. Anubias afzelii typically grows in wet, shady environments, sometimes fully submerged.

Description

Anubias afzelii is a member of the Araceae family and is found in the Afrotropical region, particularly in countries like Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. The species was first described in 1857 by Schott, based on specimens collected in Sierra Leone by Adam Afzelius, after whom it is named. The plant has a creeping rhizome and elongate-lanceolate to oblong-elliptic leaves, 13-35 cm long and 3-13 cm broad. The petiole can reach up to 29 cm in length and is often as long as or longer than the leaf-blade. The inflorescence includes a 3-9 cm long spathe and a spadix that is 1.2-1.5 times as long as the spathe. Anubias afzelii thrives in wet, shaded habitats and can be found in submerged conditions.