Syngonium podophyllum Schott, Araceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 15 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: African evergreen, arrowhead vine, emerald jewel, goosefoot, nephthytis

Pohnpeian: selkesingketieu

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Juvenile plant with stems slightly glaucous; petioles sheathed 1/2-2/3 their length; blades simple, cordate, 7-14 cm long, becoming sagittate or hastate, acuminate at the apex, the anterior lobe somewhat constricted at the base, the posterior lobes usually more or less triangular, directed downward or prominently outward; blades on climbing plants 12-27 cm long.  Adult plants with stems sometimes glaucous, sap milky; internodes 2.8-14.5 cm long, 0.5-3.5 cm wide (dry); petioles 15-60 cm long, sometimes glaucous, sheathed 2/3 their length (the sheath free-ending), rounded to obtusely angular above the sheath; blades pedatisect, the surface dark green above, pale below (sometimes glaucescent in South America); leaflets 3-11, united to free; lowermost leaflet variously ariculate at the base, the auricles oblong to oblong-elliptic to broadly elliptic; median leaflet obovate to broadly elliptic, abruptly acuminate at the apex, broadly or narrowly decurrent at the base, 16-38 cm long, 6-17 cm wide; rachis usually angular on blades with more than 3 segments; primary lateral veins 3-4 (-7) pairs on the median leaflet, sunken above, prominently raised beneath; collective veins 2 or 3; tertiary veins all distinct.  Inflorescences 4-11 per axil; peduncle sometimes glaucous somewhat compressed laterally, erect and usually less than 9 cm long at anthesis, pendent, to 13 cm long in fruit; spathe 9-11 cm long; spathe tube sometimes glaucous, narrowly ovoid to ellipsoid, 3-4 cm long, 1.8-2 cm diam., green inside and out; spathe blade greenish white to creamy white or sometimes yellow (in South America) (sometimes green outside and creamy white inside), 6-7.5 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, long-cuspidate at the apex; pistillate portion of the spadix 1-2 cm long, 6-9 mm diam., greenish cream, the flowers irregularly (5-) 6 (-7) sided, adherent, the stigma discoid-capitate, sometimes 2- or 3-lobed; staminate portion of the spadix 4-7 cm long, 7-15 mm diam., cream, the synandrium with anthers usually 4, cross-shaped, 3.5-4 mm wide, partially or completely fused. Infructescences red to reddish orange or yellow (rarely brown) at maturity; syncarp ovoid, brownish, scruffy with darker brown flecks, 3-5 (-7) cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm wide; seeds many, ovoid, 7-11 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, black or brown, enveloped in a soft, grayish, sweet, pulpy mesocarp"  (Croat, 1981; pp. 585-651).

Similar species: Syngonium angustatum Schott

See description for Syngonium angustatum and key to the two species below:

S. podophyllum var. podophyllum:  "Stems glaucous (at least in northern Central America), smooth, lacking any emergences; leaf segments usually somewhat unequal, not of relatively uniform size and shape; petioles subterete or with only an obtuse medial rib; staminate flowers truncate at the apex with an indication of the line of fusion; Mexico to Panama" (Croat, 1981).

S. angustatum:  "Stems not glaucous, sometimes with numerous rough emergences; leaf segments usually slender, of nearly equal size and shape; petioles subterete, usually with a sharp medial rib; rachis usually gradually curved, not angular between each segment; staminate flowers deeply retuse at the apex, showing no indication of the line of fusion; Mexico to Costa Rica"  (Croat, 1981).

Habitat/ecology:  Climbing epiphyte. Grows under shady conditions. Prefers moist, fertile soil.

Propagation:  Mostly, if not exclusively, vegetative

Native range:  Mexico to Brazil (Whistler, 2000; pp. 437-438). A common household plant.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (pp. 6, 13)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (pp. 6, 12)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 94) As Syngonium angustatum
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. (2000) (p. 5)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 6)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 94) As Syngonium angustatum
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 35) Voucher cited: D. H. Lorence 9961 (PTBG) Naturalized
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013) Voucher cited: D. H. Lorence, W. L. Wagner 6262 (PAP, PTBG, US)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1988) (voucher ID: PTBG 8892) Taxon name on voucher: Syngonium podophyllum Schott
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1980) (voucher ID: PTBG 22949) Taxon name on voucher: Syngonium podophyllum Schott
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2006) (p. 10) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, R. Bartlett & G. Hansen H80307 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2011) (p. 6) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H70914 (BISH, PTBG)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 18) Voucher cited: MacKee 22371
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 6) Vouchers: Flynn 6678 (PTBG, MO, NIUE), Flynn 6697 (PTBG, MO)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 13)
Niue Niue	Niue Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2000) (voucher ID: PTBG 30206) Taxon name on voucher: Syngonium podophyllum Schott
Niue Niue	Niue Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2000) (voucher ID: PTBG 30197) Taxon name on voucher: Syngonium podophyllum Schott
Palau Kayangel Atoll	Kayangel Islet	introduced invasive	Miles, Joel (2015) (p. 2) ref cites other taxa as "Cultivated," but not this one, so implication is that this taxon was found in a non-cultivated situation (PT@PhilipT.com/20170602)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 111)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-14) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 080610-02

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 300) Ornamental.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 83) Naturalised
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 128) Species uncertain.
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Plants not specifically identified as S. angustatum or S. podophyllum are listed under Syngonium angustatum.

Control: 

Physical:  Physical removal is very difficult but can be effective if done repeately for a long period.  All pieces must be properly disposed of or they will resprout"  (Englberger, 2009; p. 12).