St. John US Virgin Islands Flora: Anthuriums (Araceae)
from NPS sign
Reef Bay Trail
(Anthuriums) Arum Family
Anthuriums, like bromeliads, orchids and pinguins,
are epiphytes, a nonparasitic plant that grows on another plant,
but gets its nourishment from the air - thus, the name “air
plant”.
Anthuriums can grow on the ground, on rocks, or
up in trees. The local varieties are Anthurium cordatum (heartleaf),
Anthurium crenatum (scrub brush) and a hybrid of these two.
Heart Leaf Anthurium
Scrub Brush Anthurium
The heartleaf is more common in moist forest areas.
It produces beautiful foliage that sometimes is home for tree
snails and nests of wasps called Jack Spaniards. The heartleaf
anthurium produces a long pointy reddish-green stalk-like flower.
The scrub brush anthurium has long green leaves
with seasonal red fruit. The dried dead leaves have been used
in the past to scrub pots and pans. They are just as effective
as the commercial pot scrubbing products used today, plus they
have the advantage of being easily disposable, non-rusting and
biodegradable.
Heart Leaf Anthurium Flower
Scrub Brush Anthurium Fruit
The heartleaf anthurium is common in the Lesser
Antilles. The scrub brush anthurium is found in the Greater Antilles.
They seem to have met on the islands of St. John and Tortola
to produce a hybrid variety (anthurium selloum) which is only
found on these two islands. It is sterile and cannot reproduce.
The hybrid looks just like what you would expect a mixture of
the two parent varieties to look like. See if you can identify
one.
