Alocasia melo Aurea

Considerably scarcer in listing volume than the Albo break of the same species, consistent with its higher average sale price. Alocasia melo Aurea shares the same underlying form and growth habit as Alocasia melo (broadly ovate to peltate, deeply rugose leaves on basal rosette from corm growth), with gold-yellow sectoral variegation across the thick rugose leaf, standing out against the species' usual dark bluish-grey-green tone.

Native range

Aurea colour-break cultivar of Alocasia melo, Borneo (Sabah)

Classification

Genus

Alocasia

Family

Araceae

Type

Variegated

Growth habit

Compact, self-heading

Form of

Alocasia melo

Morphology

Leaf shape

Broadly ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base. to peltate, deeply rugose

Leaf length

15-22cm

Leaf width

12-18cm

Petiole colour

Greyish green, unaffected by leaf variegation

Venation

Deeply sunken primary and secondary veins

Texture

Extremely thick, stiff, rough, leather-like

Variegation

chimericVariegation caused by a cell mutation. Often produces high contrast but can be unstable and revert to all-green. yellow-gold sectoral variegation

Growth habit

Basal rosette from corm