Dieffenbachia aurantiaca
Dieffenbachia aurantiaca Engl.
Dieffenbachia aurantiaca is a member of the Araceae family, native to Costa Rica and Panamá. This herbaceous plant can grow up to 2.3 m tall, with a distinctive stem structure and notable leaf morphology. It was first described in 1898 by Engl.
Description
Dieffenbachia aurantiaca is a stout herb with a height range of 0.7 to 2.3 m. Its stems are erect at the top and can extend up to 2 m in length, with older portions reclining. The plant produces a fetid, caustic sap. The petioles are 13-48 cm long, with a C-shaped cross-section at the base, and are semiglossy to glossy. The leaves are oblong-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, slightly unequal in size, and acuminate at the apex. The plant is found in wet forests and swampy areas at elevations up to 780 m in Tropical and Premontane wet forest life zones.
Distribution
Costa Rica · Panamá