''Philodendron melanochrysum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae,

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the wet Andean foothills of

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

, growing at approximately 500m above sea level in the provinces of Chocó and Antioquia but widely cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental. The name suffix "melanochrysum" means "black gold" and refers to "tiny golden sparkles" sometimes observed when the leaves of the adult plant (which are dark, almost black) are in sunlight. It has been in cultivation outside of

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

since at least 1886, exhibited to Europeans via

Veitch Nurseries The Veitch Nurseries were the largest group of family-run plant nurseries in Europe during the 19th century. Started by John Veitch sometime before 1808, the original nursery grew substantially over several decades and was eventually split into t ...

by Messrs Veitch & Son under the synonym ''Philodendron andreanum'' as follows: The species has heart-shaped leaves that are typically 25 cm long, but can in ideal conditions grow much longer. Emerging leaves have a copper-gold velvety sheen, but when established become blackish-green with pale green veins. Growing them up a moss pole and maintaining high humidity ensures ideal development. Philodendron melanochrysum may be susceptible to a variety of pests, in particular spider mites.Rosenfeld, Richard. Houseplants. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2004. 235.

References

melanochrysum Endemic flora of Colombia Plants described in 1873 Taxa named by Jean Jules Linden Taxa named by Édouard André {{Araceae-stub