by Wilbert Hetterscheid

With two species ever described, Pseudohydrosme belongs to the most amazing and fabulous aroid genera no doubt (if you have doubts, be ashamed!!). Recently re-introduced into cultivation attempts have been made to multiply the species P. gabunesis and one such attempt has been succesful in yielding several seeds. Unfortunately the guy who did this (his name shall remain undisclosed here), was careless enough to let the seeds dry out beyond rescue with three exceptions, that all germinated. One plant went to the USA the others are still heavily guarded somewhere in Holland, along with some 6 mature other plants.

It is my humble opinion that the differences between Pseudohydrosme and Anchomanes are taxonomically trivial and both should be merged. Compare the pictures of e.g. Anchomanes nigritianus and those linked below of Pseudohydrosme. basically A. nigritianus looks like a Pseudohydrosme on a looooooong stalk. Fruit characters, leaves, tubers, etyc., all is identical in both genera. The only difference between the two genera boils down to ONE locule number.................

On top of this, I feel that the species P. buettneri is probably the same as P. gabunensis. They both originate from one and the same, single locality and despite frequent collections there, P. buettneri never turned up again, whereas P. gabunensis did several times.

Relevant recent literature on this genus is:

Bogner, J. 1981. Pseudohydrosme gabunensis Engl. Aroideana 4(1): 31 - 37.

Pseudohydrosme buettneri Engl.

Pseudohydrosme gabunensis Engl.

Zyganthera buettneri (Engl.) N.E. Br. = P. buettneri

Aroideana has 6 articles on Pseudohydrosme. Click Here to see them all.

Please send any comments to