Re: Aroids

[Chuck H <grendel at usit_net>]

Dave Wilson wrote:

>There are a couple of Aroids here in NT Australia that live
>underwater in an aquarium and they are Rhaphodophora sp and Typhonium
>sp.   Rhaphodophora is very similar to Anubias when small but turns
>into a climber that ascends up into rainforest trees.   Typhonium
>superficially resembles some crypts but has a bulb instead of a
>rhizome.  Some of the other local plants in the aroid family that
>live in swamps but don't do well submerged are members of the genus
>Colocasia, Tacca and Amorphophallus.   They are the common plants
>here, there are others.

Thanks, Dave, that's very interesting.  I've been hitting the books since I 
posted and I've learned, in additon to what you and Zach have helped me 
with, that the Arum family is quite large.  I've also discovered that there 
are 3 species growing in my state that may prove useful in an aquarium or 
as a pond plant.  They are:

Orontium aquaticum (Goldenclub)
Peltandra virginica (Green Arrow Arum)
Symplocarpus foetidus (Skunk Cabbage)

Of these three, O. aquaticum probably has the most potential.  P. virginica 
appears to be a relatively large plant from the pics I've seen and it's 
leaf shape resembles my Rhododendrons to some extent.  S. foetidus is 
unusual looking and I'm not quite sure what to make of it at this 
point.  I'm thinking the last two are probably more suited to emersed culture.
--
Chuck Huffine
Knoxville, Tennessee