Land of giants: two new pachycaul Monstera (Araceae, Monsteroideae, Monstereae) from Panama

Two new giant species of pachycaul Monstera, M. corana and M. colossica, have been discovered in the cloud forests of Panama's Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves, a biodiversity hotspot characterized by high humidity and volcanic soils. These discoveries expand the known diversity of the genus Monstera, which is notable for its large leaf and inflorescence sizes. The study provides detailed morphological descriptions, field observations, distribution maps, and comparisons with related taxa, contributing to our understanding of this ecologically significant region. The findings highlight the Talamanca Range as a critical area for plant species discovery and conservation.

Cedeño-Fonseca, M., Ortiz, O. O., Hay, A., & Zuluaga, A. (2025). Land of giants: two new pachycaul Monstera (Araceae, Monsteroideae, Monstereae) from Panama. Freie Universität Berlin. https://doi.org/10.17169/REFUBIUM-50393