Philodendron tripartitum (Jacq.) Schott

Ortiz, Orlando Oriel, de Stapf, María Sánchez, Baldini, Riccardo Maria & Croat, Thomas Bernard, 2019, Synopsis of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Cerro Pirre (Darién Province, Panama), Check List 15 (4), pp. 651-689 : 683

Philodendron tripartitum (Jacq.) Schott

Material examined. Vicinity Cerro Pirre, 17 km S of El Real, along trail from base camp, along Río Perisenico; 08°01′N, 077°44′W; 100 m; 28 Jul. 1994; T. B. Croat 77187 ( MO). Cerro Campamento (south of Cerro Pirre), cloud forest; 07°47′N, 077°43′W; 20–22 Mar. 1968; J. A. Duke 15592 ( MO). Parque Nacional Darién, Cerro Pirre, Rancho Frío; 08°01′16″N, 077°44′04″W; 103 m; 13 Apr. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2544 ( PMA).

Identification. This species is characterized by having elongated internodes, intact and deciduous cataphylls in most of the nodes and by its deeply trilobed (sometimes trisect) blades with falcate segments. On Cerro Pirre, Philodendron tripartitum is the only species of the genus with trilobed or trisect leaves with the segments arranged forward. However, it could be confused with individuals of the genus Syngonium , which differs primarily in hav- ing milky sap and stamens fused as synandria.

Distribution and ecology. Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. In the study area, this species ocurrs only in the semideciduous lowland forests, between 100 and 300 m. Individuals of this species can grow in both open and shady areas.