13. Scindapsus Schott, H.W.Schott & S.L.Endlicher, Melet. Bot. 21 (1832).
By: Himanchal T. Magar & Mohan Siwakoti
Taxon Description
Climbing vines, epiphytic or scrambling over tree. Roots adhesive. Stems thick, rooting at nodes. Leaves distichous initially but later appearing spirally arranged, simple, petioles usually winged throughout its entire length; blade symmetric or asymmetric, undivided, margin entire, commonly coriaceous, veins numerous pinnately branched, parallelly arranged. Spathe deciduous, coriaceous. Spadix sessile, cylindric. Flowers bisexual, lacking perianth.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 35 species; mostly in tropical Asia. One species in Nepal.
1. Scindapsus officinalis (Roxb.) Schott, Melet. Bot.: 21 (1832).
Pothos officinalis Roxb., Fl. Ind. 1: 452 (1820); Monstera officinalis (Roxb.) Schott.
ठुलेा पिपला Thulo Pipalaa (Nepali), काँनर्चिनु Kanchirno (Tharu).
Climbing perennial herbs up to 150 cm, epiphytic or scrambling over tree. Stems thick, rooting from node. Leaves spiro-distichous, petioles 5–15 cm, usually sheathing or winged throughout its length; leaf blade simple or pinnately dissected, broadly elliptic-ovate to rounded, 13–24 (–40) X 8–17 cm, commonly coriaceous, base nearly subcordate, apex acuminate. Peduncles green, 4–8 cm. Spathe pale yellow, 14–16 cm, deciduous, coriaceous; limb broadly ovate, apex apiculate. Spadix slightly shorter than spathe, cream-colored, cylindric, sessile, fertile zone 3–4 X 0.8–1 cm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia and SE Asia.
Altitudinal range: 200–1300 m.
Ecology: Epiphyte on tree trunk, climbing on forest tree.
Flowering: June–September. Fruiting: June–September.
Roasted seeds are edible; fruits and stem are used as a medicine (Rajbhandari, 2001; Manandhar, 2002).