Alocasia scalprum

Peter Boyce and Alistair Hay officially described this plant in 1999 which has so far only been seen in cultivation with the nickname "Samar Lance". This is the dark form of the variable species known from the island of Samar in the Philippines. While cultivated plants are not uncommon, it is rare or may even be extinct in the wild - no body knows for sure because the island is a hot spot for political unrests and understandably nobody seems keen to survey there.

It differs from the closely related A. heterophylla by its dark coloured cardboard-like leaf blade and a very shallow sinus at the top of the leaf Its a small plant, with adult plant having blades no more than 20cm long. The plane of the leaf lies mostly horizontally which is also quite unlike A. heterophylla, which has errect greener leaves. After growing it for 8 years, I have yet to see it flower for me.

As with most Alocasias, this plant is rather temperamental but I seemed to have to have more success growing in on the ground.