Dr. Thomas Croat of the Missouri Botanical Garden will undertake field collecting in South America followed by laboratory and herbarium study of the estimated 70 species of the aroid genus Rhodospatha. A relative of the philodendron, well known horticulturally, Rhodospatha along with many other aroid genera is poorly represented in herbaria collections and consequently is poorly known. Members of the group are rather common in moist low-elevation forests of the New World tropics, where they contribute to the rich community of vines and epiphytes present in the rainforest. Plants exhibit an interesting difference between juvenile leaf shape and adult leaf form, partly related to the need to germinate on the ground followed by growth upward as a vine requiring neighboring plants for support. Dr. Croat will study morphological features of leaf, stem, flower, and fruit to discern reliable characters for distinguishing species. An extensive survey of herbarium holdings of specimens of these species will enable detailed mapping of the geographic ranges and habitat preferences of the species. Growth of selected taxa in the greenhouse will permit close observation of subtle morphological features as well as study of flowering and fruiting seasonality (if present at all). A comprehensive taxonomic revision of the estimated 70 species, with analysis of generic relationships with other aroids, will be completed at the end of the project. The work will contribute to our understanding of tropical plant diversity, and will make available materials and specimens for other researchers and students.
