Introducing, Amorphophallus merrillii

A month. That is how long it took before the tiny green nub emerging from the soil line finally became a fully formed inflorescence with spathe open for business. What usually happens with Amorphophallus species with tall peduncles is that you usually won't be able to tell if you will be getting a leaf or a 'flower' until a spathe breaks free from the cataphyll- that's nerd-speak for the leaf-like organ that is wrapped around a developing leaf. Cataphylls rot away as the leaf prepares to unfurl. In the case of this plant, I was finally able to tell that an inflorescence was on the way about two weeks after the plant broke dormancy. But patience comes in the territory of Amorphophallus cultivation.

Amorphophallus merrillii was described in 1912 by Kurt Krause from a flowering specimen collected by Elmer Drew Merrill on the island of Cavilli in September 1910; in the protologue, Krause noted: "sehr häufig in Wäldern (very common in forests). Elmer Merrill, in the first volume of his 'An Enumeration of Philippine Plants' (1922) noted "Abundant in primary forests on Cavilli, a small island in Sulu Sea." Cavilli is a minuscule island smack in the middle of the sea between Palawan and Negros. Merrill also added Batbatan Island off western Panay as an added locality for this species. However, it has since been determined that the species is also present in islands northeast of Palawan. A newly described species, A. rayongii, matches the morphology of A. merrillii very well, with differentiating traits that are so minute to warrant the belief that it is conspecific with the latter. The type specimen of A. merrillii (BS 7177 Merrill. 'BS' stands for 'Bureau of Science') appears to have been lost during the Second World War when Manila became the stage for a horrendous final battle against the Japanese Imperial forces in February 1945. No duplicates are known. However, materials found on Cavilli are practically indistinguishable from those in Boracay, the locus classicus for A. rayongii. Boracay lies north of Batbatan. Go figure. I believe that someone has to rectify this and sink A. rayongii under the synonymy of A. merrillii.

Peduncle:

Curiously, the spadix emitted a faint fragrance in the morning the spathe expanded; at this time the entire inflorescence has reached a full 29 inches tall. However, by about 2 PM, the plant's mild disposition took a turn when the scent gave way to stench which intensified during the late afternoon to the early evenings. The dead animal vibe is pretty overpowering, though not as merciless as A. urceolatus'. The odor has greatly dissipated, though not totally vanished, by around 10 PM. By this time the male floral zone is already swarming with tiny beetles.

That's my two-year-old son, wondering what the commotion was all about:

The next day, the odd structure still beguiles him. I think my plants know who my successor will be.

By the second day of synthesis, the spathe has noticeably curled forward; the beetles, or at least a good number of them, lie huddled within the vase. The stink is still there by late afternoon, but already greatly diminished in potency. The structure except the peduncle lasted four days before totally collapsing, and no scent was of any significance from the third day onward.

Cultivation of A. merrillii is the same as the other species. Excellent drainage and bright light are basic prerequisites. However, I found this species to be susceptible to rot if left exposed to heavy rains, and in this respect, its cultivation in tropical conditions is quite culturally similar to A. dactylifer. The plants appear to favor dryish conditions around the roots; as a species of tiny islands, this should come as little surprise.

Amorphophallus merrillii is a very rare plant in cultivation, and the remoteness of its haunts has barred all but the most intrepid collectors from even trying to find them. The Boracay population is currently very close to extinction due to the unabashed 'development' that has been taking place in previous years. The recent flattening of a hill to give way to a new resort (or a casino, whatever) is but a representation of the utterly shameful way of destroying habitats for the sake of revenues; fruit bats, previously in healthy numbers in Boracay, are now teetering on the brink of extirpation. However, some plants have already been extracted during the early part of the last decade and these were rescued from areas where work has already started for the construction of hotels and other enterprises. But these numbers were a trifle compared to those that have already since been destroyed. Fortunately, A. merrillii is found in other islands as well, and these enjoy a deal of security that others of their kind in a so-called paradise does not have.