''Nephthytis'' is a genus of five species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Araceae The Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe (or leaf-like bract). Also ...

, native to tropical western and west-central

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, ranging from Guinea to the Republic of the Congo.Hay, Alistair, Bogner, Josef, & Boyce, Peter Charles. 1994. ''Nephthytis'' Schott (Araceae) in Borneo: a new species and a new generic record for Malesia. Novon 4:365-368.
/ref> They are

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

plants growing from a

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

, light and dark green, 15–35 cm long, and are usually arrowhead-shaped, with three lobes. The leaf shape can vary depending on the age of the plant.

Cultivation

Some species are popular

houseplant A houseplant, also known as a pot plant, potted plant, or indoor plant, is an ornamental plant cultivated indoors. for aesthetic or practical purposes. These plants are commonly found in House, homes, Office, offices, and various indoor spaces, w ...

s. If so, they must be kept away from any pets, as they are poisonous. When grown indoors as a decorative houseplant, it needs frequent watering to keep the soil moist. It prefers temperatures that are comfortable to humans, as with most plants. It functions well as a hanging or

terrarium A terrarium ( terraria or terrariums) is a glass container containing soil and plants in an environment different from the surroundings. It is usually a sealable container that can be opened for maintenance or to access the plants inside; howeve ...

plant. The most common of its problems is

root rot Root rot is a condition in which anoxic conditions in the soil or potting media around the roots of a plant cause them to rot. This occurs due to excessive standing water around the roots.-Hydroponics Root Rot: What is It, How To Treat It, How ...

and can be avoided by providing adequate drainage. This can also be caused by allowing the plant to sit in water. As for other problems, scale insects can also affect it. If this happens, scrape them off and isolate the plant. For this kind of problem, pesticides and sprays do not always work as the shell of the insect protects it. If this becomes a severe problem, you will have to get rid of the plant. Also if this happens, make sure it is moved away from any other surrounding plants because the bugs could infect them as well. Other than that, this plant is very easy to take care of and thus, it is good for beginners.

Propagation Propagation can refer to: *Chain propagation in a chemical reaction mechanism *Crack propagation, the growth of a crack during the fracture of materials *Propaganda, non-objective information used to further an agenda *Reproduction, and other forms ...

of ''Nephthytis'' is fairly easy as well. It can be propagated by

layering Layering can refer to: * Layering (horticulture), a means of vegetative propagation * Layering (finance), a strategy in high frequency trading * Layering (linguistics), a principle by which grammaticalisation can be detected * Surface layering ...

and from cuttings. Certain ''Nephthytis'' species are poisonous to cats and dogs. Symptoms are oral irritation and vomiting.

''Syngonium podophyllum''

An unrelated American species, ''

Syngonium podophyllum ''Syngonium podophyllum'' is a species of aroid that is a popular houseplant. Common names include: arrowhead plant, arrowhead vine, arrowhead philodendron, goosefoot, nephthytis, African evergreen, and American evergreen. The species is native ...

'', commonly grown as a houseplant, was originally confused with the similar-looking ''Nephthytis.'' It still retains ''Nephthytis'' as a common name, though it was given its own genus in 1879.

Species

Five species are accepted. # '' Nephthytis afzelii'' Schott - West Africa from Congo-Brazzaville to Sierra Leone # '' Nephthytis hallaei'' Bogner - Gabon # ''

Nephthytis mayombensis ''Nephthytis'' is a genus of five species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical western and west-central Africa, ranging from Guinea to the Republic of the Congo. They are herbaceous plants growing from a rhizome. The le ...

'' de Namur & Bogner - Congo-Brazzaville # '' Nephthytis poissonii'' (Engl.) N.E.Br. - Congo-Brazzaville, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria # '' Nephthytis swainei'' Bogner - Ivory Coast, Ghana, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Cameroon

Formerly placed here

*'' Boycea bintuluensis'' (as ''Nephthytis bintuluensis'' A.Hay, Bogner & P.C.Boyce)

References

External links

International Aroid Society search
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5223526 Aroideae Araceae genera House plants Flora of the Afrotropical realm