We’ve grown the Asian Sauromatum horsfieldii, and other Sauromatum species, for almost two decades, and the more different accessions we grow, the more we’re convinced that there are more than one species lumped into what’s currently considered Sauromatum horsfieldii. With a purported natural range from India to Sumatra, one can only expect a number of cryptic (unrecognized, hidden) species that have been convientiently dumped by taxonomists into a single name, which was first published in 1856. Interestingly, it was named in honor of the American physician and naturalist, Dr. Thomas Horsfield (1773-1859). Despite the taxonomy issues, all forms shown below, are top flight shade garden plants, which simply need a better PR agent.
Typically, the flower design is the driving factor in plant identification, so we need to take some better photos of the “naughty parts” next year, from the top two. That said, the growing season, flowering season, and overall appearance of the three forms, are strikingly different.
The smallest form we grow is Sauromatum horsfieldii ‘Little Red Riding Rood’ (AGA1311-001), from the late, Alan Galloway. For us, this plant matures at only 4-6″ in height, and starts flowering in mid-to-late April, and the plant is entirely dormant by late May. Alan got his plant from the former Kaichen Nursery (Chen Yi), under the name Typhonium kunmingense. Most likely, this originated in Yunnan, China.
The second clone we grow is Sauromatum horsfieldii ‘Lancelot’, which hails from an Alan Galloway collection in the Loei Province of Thailand, where it grew in limestone boulders. This makes a much larger clump to 12′ tall x 20″ wide, and flowers, starting in early to mid-June. Here, it remains growing into September, long after the form above has gone to sleep.
Then, there’s Sauromatum horsfieldii ‘High Lights’. This doesn’t emerge until mid June, and doesn’t flower until mid-August. This form is the largest of all, forming a 2′ tall x 2′ wide clump. This also came from the former Kaichen Nursery (Chen Yi), so there’s a good chance that it also originated in Yunnan, China.
If you grow any other unique forms, especially from the region around India, we’d love to know. Now, we just need a graduate student with an interest in aroids.