Dieffenbachia, Dumbcane

Dieffenbachia maculata (Lodd.) G. Don, additional species, and diverse cultivars

deef-en-BACH-ee-ah  maa-cue-LAY-tah

Araceae

Explanation of name: Generic name for German physician and botanist, J. F. Dieffenbach (1794-1847) (BA1). Maculata means spotted.

Dieffenbachia seguine (Jacq.) Schott. has escaped cultivation in Palm Beach County (WU2).

Natural range (of the genus): Tropical America (BA1)

Recognition: Aroids with ringed, vertical or horizontal, thickened stems, the leaves often with more or less elliptic-oblong, often-variegated blades having long clasping bases, broad midribs, and curving side-veins (BA1).  Diffenbachia maculata differs from the escaped D. seguine by having the leaf blades mostly oblong or lanceolate, apically acuminate, white-spotted, with numerous lateral veins (as opposed to the leaf blades oblong-elliptic to ovate or lanceolate, apically short-cuspidate, green or variably variegated, and 9-15 lateral nerves (BA2). Specific recognition is difficult and complicated by a tremendous diversity of cultivars.

Landscape uses: Shade-loving foliage plants often grown indoors. The name ‘Dumbcane’ comes from needle-shaped crystals of oxalic acid in the tissues, making the plants dangerously toxic.