Syngonium
Syngonium /sɪŋˈɡoʊniəm/[3] is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical rainforests in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America.[2] They are woody vines growing to heights of 10–20 m or more in trees. They have leaves that change shape according to the plant's stage of growth, and adult leaf forms are often much more lobed than the juvenile forms usually seen on small house plants. The scientific name of the genus comes from the Greek words σύν ( syn - plus, z) and γονή ( gone - gonada) and refers to the fused ovaries of female flowers.
Syngonium species are often grown as house plants, usually only in the juvenile foliage stages. Syngonium podophyllum is the most commonly cultivated species, and is often referred to simply as Syngonium. For successful growth, a winter minimum temperature 16 °C to 18 °C (60 to 65°F) must be maintained, rising to 20 °C to 30 °C (68 to 86 °F) during the growing season. They require high humidity, including misting the leaves regularly, and good light, but not direct sunlight; they will tolerate low light levels. Water freely from spring to autumn, sparingly in winter. Feed regularly in spring and summer. If juvenile foliage is preferred, cut off all the climbing stems that develop — the plant will remain bushy, rather than climb, and the leaves will be more arrow-shaped. Repot every second spring. Propagation is by cuttings or air layering.
Syngonium species generally inhabit tropical rainforests, subtropical forests, ruderal areas, thickets, urban areas, and wetlands. Invasive species are also troublesome weeds, e.g. banana crops.
Syngonium species are native to tropical America, where they are found from Mexico to Brazil. The center of diversity of genus is in Costa Rica and Panama, where there are a total of 16 species (13 in Costa Rica and 11 in Panama). The second place for the diversity of species is Mexico, where 8 species are present. The most widespread species is S. podophyllum, which ranges from Mexico to Brazil. It is believed that the Mexican and Costa Rican populations of Syngonium have long been separated, which translates into morphological differences in the representatives of the same species (eg S. podophyllum and S. macrophyllum).
S. stopowowa was introduced as an ornamental groundcover in American Samoa, Australia, Micronesia, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Niue, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Florida, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Easter Island, Rota, Solomon Islands, and on Christmas Island. In each of these locations, it is widespread, invasive and displaces native vegetation. Similarly, S. angustatum is an invasive species on many Pacific islands and the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
It is an elongated, climbing or creeping herbaceous evergreen plant that reaches a height of 10–20 m with a sympodial growth type, lacking branches (branches off only after damage to the apical meristem), cylindrical to oval in cross-section. After the inflorescences have risen from the top of the stem, it stops growing, and from the side bud, placed two nodes below the top of the stem, a new main shoot is formed.
