I've been trading emails with aroid botanist Dr. Tom Croat of the Missouri Botanical Garden and several other noted aroiders trying to find information on Philodendron panduriforme and Philodendron bipennifolium. P. bipennifolium is often commonly called the Panda Plant, Horsehead Philodendron or the Fiddle Leaf Philodendron. For years many sources have indicated P. panduriforme is an old name for P. bipennifolium. Dr. Croat indicates that is simply incorrect! He wrote an article in the International Aroid Society journal Aroideana, Volume 9, that includes Philodendron panduriforme. The article is entitled Araceae of Venezuela. Many published articles, especially on the internet but also in texts, indicate these species are the same. According to Dr. Croat, they are not! Here's what I've been trying to track down. In Deni Bown's book on Aroids she indicates that P. panduriforme is the same as P. bippenifolium (see the index). I have read this same claim elsewhere including one other book. Tom says this is just not correct. I'm trying to find out where this myth began. I am aware that P. bipennifolium has several growth forms and is variable. I have a great photo from a book on the Burle Marx collection in Brazil of the adult form of P. bipennifolium. It looks nothing like what most collectors think P. bipennifolium should look like! That is because most collectors have only seen the juvenile which looks nothing like the adult. Sellers on eBay are constantly selling the juvenile form of P. bipennifolium and calling it P. panduriforme. I'm certain I have P. bipennifolium, but I'm not sure if I have the real P. panduriforme. P. panduriforme is a three lobed species according to Dr. Croat although no photo is available on TROPICOS. If any of you have a verified photo of P. panduriforme I'd appreciate the assist and would love to see it. Here is a description of P. panduriforme from aroid expert Julius Boos, "They look nothing alike, and could never be confused as the same species. P. panduriforme has a shallow lobed blade w/ three shallow lobes, rounded tips to the lobes, and no more then scallops that do NOT go deep or anywhere near the main viens, while in the photo of P. bipennifolium the divisions in the blade seems deeply cut with pointed sections, and 'cuts' almost or to the main viens." If you have been confused about these species being one and the same here's what I've learned so for: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Philodendron bipennifolium pc.html I'd love to get feedback from knowledgeable aroid growers who have grown both species. I've had a couple of growers "swear" they are the same and the only difference is P. panduriforme has rounded upper lobes while P. bipennifolium has pointed upper lobes. According to Dr. Croat and Julius this is just not correct. If you checked this page early, please accept my apologies. I mistakenly labeled a photo of P. bipennifolium as P. panduriforme. My thanks to Leland Miyano from Hawaii for the catch!
Since I began this discussion on my own website I've been hit with a fair number of emails telling me I'm "dead wrong" and Philodendron panduriforme is just an old name for Philodendron bipennifolium. Others try to tell me the plants are almost identical with the exception that P. panduriforme has rounded upper lobes and P. bipennifolium has pointed upper lobes. I've spent quite a bit of time corresponding with a number of noted experts and today recieved from Julius Boos in West Palm Beach a copy of volume 9 of the International Aroid Society's journal, Aroideana. In that journal is a photo of the the real Philodendron panduriforme taken by Dr. Tom Croat. If you wish to see the photos of each species and read all the information I've collected so far click on this link. http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Philodendron bipennifolium pc.html Sometimes old beliefs die hard among plant collectors.