Epipremnum is a genus of in the family Araceae, found in tropics forests from China, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia to Australia the western Pacific.[ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families][Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1-560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.][ Flora of China Vol. 23 Page 14, 麒麟叶属 qi lin ye shu, Epipremnum Schott, Bonplandia (Hannover). 5: 45. 1857. ] They are evergreen perennial plant vines climbing with the aid of aerial roots.
All parts of the plants are toxic, mostly due to trichosclereids (long sharp cells) and raphides. Plants can grow to over with leaves up to long, but in containers the size is much reduced. The plants, commonly known as centipede tongavine, pothos or devil's ivy, depending on species, are typically grown as houseplants in temperateness regions. Juvenile leaves are bright green, often with irregularly variegated patterns of yellow or white. They may find host trees by the use of skototropism.
Etymology
From the Greek (upon) and (stump).
Species
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Epipremnum amplissimum (Schott) Engl. - Queensland, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Vanuatu
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Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting - native to Moorea in Polynesia; naturalized in Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Queensland, Melanesia, Seychelles, Hawaii, Florida, Costa Rica, Bermuda, the West Indies, Brazil, and Ecuador
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Epipremnum carolinense Volkens - Micronesia
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Epipremnum ceramense (Engl. & K.Krause) Alderw. - Maluku
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Epipremnum dahlii Engl. - Bismarck Archipelago
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Epipremnum falcifolium Engl. - Borneo
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Epipremnum giganteum (Roxb.) Schott - Indochina (Syn. Monstera gigantea (Roxb.) Schot)
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Epipremnum meeboldii K.Krause - Manipur region of India
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Epipremnum moluccanum Schott - Maluku
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Epipremnum moszkowskii K.Krause - western New Guinea
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Epipremnum nobile (Schott) Engl. - Sulawesi
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Epipremnum obtusum Engl. & K.Krause - Papua New Guinea
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Epipremnum papuanum Alderw. - Papua New Guinea
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Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl. - widespread across Southeast Asia, southern China, New Guinea, Melanesia, northern Australia; naturalized in West Indies
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Epipremnum silvaticum Alderw. Sumatra
Fossil record
Three
fossil seeds of †
Epipremnum crassum have been described from
middle Miocene strata of the Fasterholt area near
Silkeborg in
Central Jutland,
Denmark.
Fossils of this species have also been reported from the
Oligocene and
Miocene of
Western Siberia and the
Miocene and
Pliocene of
Europe.
Bibliography
External links
