An Anthurium but unlike any I've ever seen. If you have access to the plant please photograph both sides of the blade, a closeup of the petiole, the cataphyll surround any new leaf, and especially the stem showing the distance between the internodes. A photo of the geniculum which is an enlarged organ at the top of the petiole is also important

I wil then show the photos to Dr. Tom Croat at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Tom is the leading expert in Anthurium species. The venation (vein structure) of this plant is very unusual.

Also, the exact location where it was photographed will be very helpful since we may be able to key it out on the Royal Botanic Garden Kew website.

Steve

A friend that is very familiar with Brazilian species recognized the orchid in your first photo as one that is endemic (only found in) Brazil. Were you in an area that borders Brazil?

So far, no Anthurium expert I've shown this to recognizes the species but that does not mean it has been identified. If we had good photos from many angles as well as all the measurements and dimensions we could likely key it out on LUCID.

You should know that Dr. Croat estimates there are at least 500 more species to be unidentified that are currently unknown to science. I have a few in my own collection that he cannot ID that came from Ecuador.

Just a suggestion, but when you photograph plants for identification take shots of both leaf surfaces, close-ups of the petiole, closeups of the geniculum of any Anthurium, the cataphyll and the stem. Photos of the very base of the plant are often extremely useful. That really helps to make a good ID.

When we feed info into LUCID we need the distances between the hodes, the average length and shape of the blade, a count of the primary lateral leaf veins on each side of the surface of the leaf blade, whether the veins are sunken or raised on each side and any other data you can provide. If there are any peculiar dots or spots on the blade (either surface) that is important as well. Some are used to attract ants and other animals and knowing that information helps to ID the plant. One major factor that is critical is to know as close as possible where the plant was photographed with an elevation if possible. Some species only grow within certain elevation levels.

Many aroids are extremely variable and can the shape of a single leaf can easily fool you into believing it is something other than what it actually may be. The details are important.

The link below explains why.

You can also look up CATE Araceae on the Royal Botanic Garden website and experiment with LUCID yourself. It is now difficult to learn to use if you have the right data. Look for it to the left of the home page.

You will find a key for both Philodendron and for Anthurium but as of this time only about 50% of all species are listed. Principal aroid botanist believe there are now about 3800 known species but that is experted to explode to around 6000 species in the next few years.

Dr. Croat alone is now working on some 500 new aroid species that have yet to be published.

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: Natural variation and the ontogeny of tropical plants

Thank you very much for the response. I wonder if there is a page that illustrates the parts of an aroid that I could study in order to take more helpfull photos.

No the location of the photo is not near the border with Brazil. It is close to Cali which is in the southwestern part of the country. I am under the impression that the orchid in the photo is Lockhartia longifolia which is found in Colombia but that could of course be a miss identification.