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Plantae Angiosperms Monocots Alismatales Araceae Aroideae Caladieae Caladium bicolor

Description Caladiums are tuber-rooted tropical perennials grown for their large and showy leaves. Caladiums have no stems; the leaves are borne on long, 6-12 in (15-30.5 cm), petioles (leaf stems) that arise directly from the underground tuber. The petioles are attached to the leaves near the center, rather than at one end, a condition called peltate. Leaf shape, size and color vary among the hundreds of selections, but most are heart, lance or arrowhead shaped, 6-14 in (15-35.6 cm) long, and variously spotted or streaked with pink, red, gray, or white. The caladium inflorescence is a 9 in (23 cm) greenish white Jack-in-the-pulpit-like spadix and spathe. (The spadix is the fleshy upright spike with tiny flowers on it - Jack; and the spathe is the hood-like bract that surrounds the spadix - the pulpit.) Small white berries eventually develop on the spadix. The whole plant, by the end of its growing season, is about 2 ft (0.6 m) tall and 2 ft (0.6 m) wide.

Cycas revoluta This very symmetrical plant supports a crown of shiny, dark green leaves on a thick shaggy trunk that is typically about 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter, sometimes wider. The trunk is very low to subterranean in young plants, but lengthens above ground with age. It can grow into very old specimens with 67 m (over 20 feet) of trunk; however, the plant is very slow-growing and requires about 50100 years to achieve this height. Trunks can branch multiple times, thus producing multiple heads of leaves. The leaves are a deep semiglossy green and about 50150 cm (2059 in) long when the plants are of a reproductive age. They grow out into a feather-like rosette to 1 m (3.3 ft) in diameter. The crowded, stiff, narrow leaflets are 818 cm (3.17.1 in) long and have strongly recurved or revolute edges. The basal leaflets become more like spines. The petiole or stems of the sago cycad are 6 10 cm (2.43.9 in) long and have small protective barbs that must be avoided. Roots are called coralloid with an Anabaena symbiosis allowing nitrogen fixation.[3] Tannins-rich cells are found on either side of the algal layer to resist the algal invasion. As with other cycads, it is dioecious, with the males bearing pollen cones (strobilus) and the females bearing groups of megasporophylls. Pollination can be done naturally by insects or artificially.

Cycas revoluta

Allamanda cathartica Description A tropical twining vine with deeply veined, whorled leaves and large, trumpet shaped bright yellow flowers. Prickly seed pods follow the flowers with winged seeds that fly about when the pod dries and breaks open. Allamanda is perennial in tropical climates and may be treated as an annual or brought inside during cold weather and replanted after danger of frost. The plant has milky sap and is considered poisonous; all parts are highly cathartic (hence the botanical name). Texture is coarse and leaves are bright to light green; the plant is often pruned and used as a shrub. Some cultivars have been bred for fragrance; a particularly popular one has furry brown buds and darker green leaves than the species.

http://www.globinmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102532:alamandacathartica&catid=135&Itemid=141

Dioon edule, variety "Queretaro Blue", grows in the Mexican state of Queretaro, at elevations exceeding one mile, resulting in cold hardiness well below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Its leaves are a glaucous/blue color, with a slight twist, curving slightly inward. The leaflets of Dioon edule, "Queretaro Blue" are spineless, smooth and pointed, with slightly revolute margins (edges turned under). Full sun exposure will cause a more blue leaf color. The Queretaro Dioon grows well in both container and garden. Good drainage is important for this plant.

This Dioon edule complex is a group of of flat-leafed, sun-loving plants popular for their tolerance of heat and cold and attractive, stiff, blue- to gray-green colored leaves. They grow best in part to full sun.

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Encephalartos Dioon Zamia Ceratozamia Microcycas

Strangeria Bowenia Lepidozamia Macrozamia

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