Identification: We don't know what it is?

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by ktillema, Apr 1, 2006.

  1. ktillema

    ktillema Member

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    My friend and I have this houseplant with leaves dark glossy green with pink stripes. The underside of the leaf is purple. Care is easy. Leaves are 3-5 inches long. We just recieved this from a greenhouse, so it might be a recent cultivar? Pictures included, thanks for any input.
     

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  2. Mikki

    Mikki Member

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    It looks like my prayer plant. Do the leaves fold up at night and then unfold again in the morning?
     
  3. ktillema

    ktillema Member

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    No, I have a prayer plant also. The leaves are more upright on the mystery plant. Thanks!
     
  4. pierrot

    pierrot Active Member 10 Years

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    Your plant is indeed a prayer plant. Just it is the upright version of the prayer plant

    Mikki is correct and there are lots of species that are called prayer plants. the problem with common names is they are regional and so if someone was to identify the plant as the red stripe zebra plant or some other name that is what you would remember it as.

    The Marantaceae are a family of monocot flowering plants. The family, part of order Zingiberales, includes 550 species in 31 genera. The Marantaceae are native to the tropics of The Americas, Africa, and Asia. The family includes Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), a plant native to the Caribbean and grown for its easily digestible starch. Several species of genus Calathea are grown as houseplants for their handsome ornamental leaves, patterned in various shades of green, white and pink.

    the scientific Name for your plant is Calathea ornata 'Roseo-lineata'

    http://www.csupomona.edu/~isardinas1/hort439/list8/list8.htm

    here is a link to a picture gallery of indoor planst from Cal State Pomona that will help with the differences between the two known as prayer plants.

    I hope this helps
     
  5. ktillema

    ktillema Member

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    Thank you very much! I learned a lesson. Kathy
     
  6. Ginger Blue

    Ginger Blue Active Member

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    Um, Pierrot, shouldn't that be dicot?

    And I didn't know they were in the Zingibers. Makes sense when you think about it. I love the things I learn on the forum. Thanks for the info!
     
  7. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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  8. Ginger Blue

    Ginger Blue Active Member

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    Oh...wow...I'm speechless! I know taxonomy changes, but I really didn't think THAT much. And I feel really old. I can now honestly say, "It wasn't that way when I was in school!!" It wasn't that long ago, either. Sigh...

    I've got some reading to do....

    Thanks Daniel!
     
  9. pierrot

    pierrot Active Member 10 Years

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    From the flora of North America

    "Within the Zingiberales, Marantaceae are most closely related to Cannaceae, with in which it had been merged untithey were originally placed.l K. Koch (1857) recognized the taxon as a distinct family. The two families share similar leaf venation, presence of specialized cells at the base of the leaf (only a few cells abaxially in Cannaceae, not organized into a pulvinus), and secondary pollen presentation"

    don't think your that old but I agree with you holy cow Taxonomy takes on a roller coaster of its own!!

    Interestingly the marantas have been extensively worked on here at UBC by Dr. Helen Kennedy
     

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