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KEY TO THE SPECIES OF DRACONTIUM L.
1. Blade segments linear, 1-1.5 cm wide, usually
ascending at " 45E angle from the petiole; growing in
seasonal swamps; Venezuela (Apure), Brazil (Mato Grosso
do Sul), and Paraguay.
13. D. margaretae.
1. Blade segments not linear, 3-12 cm wide, spreading
horizontally or ascending at " 45E angle from the
petiole when young; growing in habitats other than
seasonal swamps; Southern Mexico to Central Paraguay.
2. Peduncle completely subterranean or not more than 10
cm above ground level; longest bracteole reaching to
base of or covering to 1/2 of the spathe.
3. Spathe cymbiform (boat-shaped), not at all
constricted; spadix never with appendages at apex.
4. Spadix often hidden at anthesis; spathe margins
broadly overlapping at the base for at least
1/2 of the spathe.
5. Spathe 28-35 cm long, 6-10 cm wide at
anthesis; endemic to Par< State, Brazil.
14. D. nivosum
5. Spathe never more than 20 cm long and 4.5 cm
wide at anthesis; Brazil, Venezuela, and
Peru.
6. Inner surface of spathe semiglossy to
velvety, never with transparent scales.
7. Spathe (6)10-13 cm long, 3.5-4.5 cm
wide, arching by 45E to 90E apically;
transparent area (at base of inner
spathe surface) obscure; Amazonian Peru,
Venezuela and Brazil.
1. D. amazonense
7. Spathe (10)15-18 cm long, 3.2-4 cm
wide, slightly arching (by up to 45E)
apically; transparent area (at base of
inner spathe surface) 0.5-1 cm high; known
from southern Venezuela and adjacent
Brazil.
19. D. prancei
6. Inner surface of spathe covered with
transparent scales.
8. Seeds reniform, laterally concave, with
small cells along dorsal ridge; endemic
to Gois, Brazil.
5. D. bogneri
8. Seeds rounded, laterally convex, smooth
along dorsal ridge; endemic to eastern
Acre, Brazil.
23. D. ulei
4. Spadix exposed (visible from face view
outside) at anthesis; spathe margins slightly
to hardly overlapping at the base; French
Guiana, Surinam, Guyana and Brazil.
18. D. polyphyllum
3. Spathe not cymbiform (not boat-shaped),
constricted in lower 1/5 to 1/2 and differentiated
into a proximal tube and a distal lamina; spadix
often with one to several appendages (elongated
and enlarged tepals) at apex.
9. Inner surface of spathe semiglossy or velvety,
never with transparent scales.
10. Seeds with 5-6 thin, strongly interrupted
ridges to 1.5 mm high; tropical wet forests,
DariJn, Panama to Choc\, Colombia.
10. D. grayumianum
10. Seeds with 3 continuous ridges to 0.5 mm
high; tropical moist forests, southern Mexico
to central Panama.
21. D. soconuscum
9. Inner surface of spathe densely covered with,
transparent scales.
11. Seeds with 4 or 5 thin, strongly
interrupted ridges to 1.5 mm high; endemic to
Venezuela.
6. D. changuango
11. Seeds with 3 continuous ridges to 0.5 mm
high; Caribbean coast of Colombia and Zulia
State, Venezuela.
20. D. purdieanum
2. Peduncle 30-250 cm above ground level; longest
bracteole confined to base of peduncle, never
reaching the spathe.
12. Peduncle 30-90 cm long, less than half as long
as petiole.
13. Spathe apex caudate, 3-5 times longer than the
body of the spathe; berries apically pointed;
endemic to Loreto State, Peru.
2. D. angustispathum
13. Spathe apex obtuse or acuminate, much shorter
than the body of the spathe.
14. Spathe 58-78 cm long, 13-21 cm wide, obtuse
at apex; seeds dark brown, 1-1.2 cm diam,
with three dorsal ridges; Atlantic slope of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
8. D. gigas
14. Spathe 9-20 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, acuminate
at apex; seeds light brown, 0.5-0.7 cm diam,
with 1 dorsal ridge; West Indies, Guianas,
Venezuela and Brazil.
15. Spathe 9-10 cm long, slightly arching
apically up to 45E angle; seeds laterally
convex, with many fine pits flanking the
ridge; French Guiana, near Brazilian
border.
11. D. guianense.
15. Spathe 10-20 cm long, often arching
apically by 45E-90E angle; seeds laterally
concave, with coars, wart-like
protuberences flanking the ridge; West
Indies, Guianas, Venezuela and Brazil.
4. D. asperum
12. Peduncle 100-200 cm long, usually more than half
as long as petiole.
16. Spathe cymbiform, never differentiated into a
proximal tube and distal lamina.
17. Spathe obtuse at apex, widest in upper
half.
18. Seeds rounded, the dorsal ridges 4 or 5,
strongly interrupted; spathe green
externally, the margins broadly
overlapping; spadix hidden at anthesis;
endemic to the west slope of the Andes in
Ecuador and adjacent Colombia.
7. D. croatii
18. Seeds reniform, dorsal ridge 1, continuous;
spathe maroon externally, the margins
scarcely overlapping; spadix exposed at
anthesis; endemic to the Pacific slope of
Costa Rica.
16. D. pittieri
17. Spathe acuminate at apex, widest in lower
half.
19. Spadix 23-35 cm long in fruit; petiole 2-6
m long; seeds rounded, with 3 strong,
continuous ridges to 2 mm high; Amazonian
Peru and Brazil.
15. D. peruvianum
19. Spadix 4-5 cm long in fruit; petiole 1-2 m
long; seeds reniform, with 3 weak continuous
ridges to 0.5 mm high; endemic to Acre State,
Brazil.
12. D. longipes
16. Spathe usually not cymbiform, constricted near
the base to yield a proximal tube and distal
lamina.
20. Seeds 0.5-0.6 cm diam., laterally convex, with
1 dorsal ridge; spathe usually wrinkled or
lobed along the margins; endemic to southern
Peru.
17. D. plowmanii
20. Seeds 0.7-1 cm diam., laterally concave, with
3 dorsal ridges; spathe never wrinkled or lobed
along the margins; Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,
Brazil and Surinam.
21. Inner surface of spathe densely covered
with transparent scales; Colombia, Ecuador
and Peru.
3. D. asperispathum
21. Inner surface of spathe semiglossy or
velvety.
22. Spathe 45-50 cm long, 10-15 cm wide,
abruptly acuminate apically; Amazonian
Ecuador and Peru.
9. D. grandispathum
22. Spathe 20-35 cm long, 3-6 cm wide,
gradually acuminate apically; southern
Costa Rica to Pacific Colombia, and
Amazonian Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and
Surinam.
22. D. spruceanum
Dracontium
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