Spathiphyllum


Read about Spathiphyllum in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Spathiphyllum (Greek word, referring to the leaf-like spathes). Araceae. Stemless or short-stemmed herbs, used as warmhouse foliage plants.

Leaves large, oblong or lanceolate, acuminate or cuspidate, midrib strong: spathe lf .-like, membranaceous, oblong or lanceolate; spadix shorter than the spathe, sessile or stipitate, cylindrical, densely fld.: fls. hermaphrodite, all fertile; perianth-segms. 4, 6, or 8, connate or coherent in a truncate or lobed cup; stamens 4, 6, or 8; ovary oblong, 3-4-celled: berry globose or oblong-conical, 3-celled, cells 1-2-seeded.—About 27 species, mostly from Trop. Amer., one or two Malayan. Monographed by Engler and Krause in Engler's Pflanzenreich, hft. 37 (IV. 23B), 1908. Gardeners recommend as soil for their cult. a mixture of leaf-mold, peat, and fibrous loam, together with some sand and charcoal.

S. Ghiesbreghtii, Hort., is offered in the trade, but is unknown botanically.—S. pictum, Hort. Lind. – Rhodospatha picta.


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Spathiphyllum
Spathiphyllum floribundum
Spathiphyllum floribundum
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Genus: Spathiphyllum
Schott

Species
See text

Spathiphyllum is a genus of about 40 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeastern Asia. Certain species of Spathiphyllum are commonly known as spath or peace lilies.

They are evergreen herbaceous perennial plants with large leaves 12-65 cm long and 3-25 cm broad. The flowers are produced in a spadix, surrounded by a 10-30 cm long, white, yellowish, or greenish spathe.

Selected species

Cultivation and uses

Several species are popular indoor houseplants. Spathiphyllum cleans indoor air of many environmental contaminants, including benzene, formaldehyde, and other pollutants. It cleans best at one plant per 10 m². It lives best in shade and needs little sunlight to thrive.

Spathiphyllum is mildly toxic to humans and animals when ingested. [1] [2]

External links

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References

  1. http://www.calpoison.org/public/plants-toxic.html California Poison Control System: list of toxic plants
  2. http://www.entirelypets.com/toxicplants.html EntirelyPets.com article