Anthurium santiagoense Croat

Description based on dried material only.

Description based on dried material only. Terrestrial; stem 1.5–2 cm diam.; roots few, pale grayish, pubescent, elongate, to 4 mm diam.; cataphylls probably coriaceous, 10–13.5 cm long, acute at apex, yellow-green, persisting as fine, pale, linear fibers; petioles 24.5–27 cm long, 1–1.2 mm diam., triangular, flattened to broadly sulcate adaxially, the margins acute, acutely angled abaxially; blades subcoriaceous, more or less broadly elliptic to oblong-elliptic, abruptly acuminate to long-acuminate at apex (the acumen 15–20 mm long), narrowly acute at base, 75–97 cm long, 21.5–29 cm wide, broadest just above the middle, matte to weakly glossy, greenish; midrib prominently raised above, higher than broad and paler than surface below; primary lateral veins 25–33 per side, departing midrib at 60–75 degree angle, straight-ascending to the collective vein, slightly raised above and below, slightly paler than surface below; interprimary veins almost as conspicuous as primary lateral veins, drying raised above and below; tertiary veins visible when dried, raised; collective vein arising from near the base, drying raised above and below, equally as prominent as primary lateral veins, 7–20 mm from margin. Inflorescences with peduncle 20–48 cm long, 5–11 mm diam., drying greenish; spathe reflexed, subcoriaceous, green, broadly lanceolate, 7–8 cm long, 1.8–2.6 cm wide, broadest near the base, abruptly acuminate at apex, 4 mm long; stipe 7–17 mm long in front, 1–3 mm long in back; spadix deep purple, cylindroid, erect, sometimes slightly curved, 6.5–7 cm long, 5–6 mm diam. midway; flowers more or less square, 1.5–2.1 mm in both directions; 7–10 flowers visible in principal spiral, 6–7 in alternate spiral; lateral tepals 0.9–1.2 mm wide, the inner margins more or less straight, the outer margins 2-sided; pistils somewhat exserted; stigma ellipsoid, 0.3 mm long, droplets drying as abundant crystals and persisting; stamens emerging well above tepals; filaments translucent, flattened, 0.7 mm wide; anthers yellow, 0.4–0.5 mm lon, 0.6 mm wide; thecae oblong, 0.2–0.3 mm wide, slightly divaricate; pollen fading to tan. Infructescence not seen.

A member of series Multinervii, Anthurium santiagoense is endemic to Ecuador, where it is known from the Río Santiago watershed (hence the name) in the Serrania de Cutucú and in Morona﷓Santiago Province at 600 to 1,830 m, in pre﷓montane moist and tropical moist forest life zones. This species is characterized by its large, unusually broadly elliptic leaf blades which dry green and have numerous primary lateral veins, its relatively long, more or less triangular petioles, and its deep purple, cylindroid spadix Characteristic also are the exserted stamens and yellow anthers. Anthurium santiagoense is readily recognizable and not likely to be confused with any other species. The only other member of series Multinervii on the eastern slope of the Andes which approaches A. santiagoense in size is A. fasciale, which has more or less oblong leaf blades with more irregular primary lateral veins, and petioles which are rounded abaxially. Anthurium narinoense, from the Pacific slope in Colombia, is remarkably similar in overall appearance and differs mainly by its more slender spadix.

Anthurium santiagoense là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Ráy (Araceae). Loài này được Croat miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1991.