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Syngonium podophyllum
Nephthytis, African evergreen, Arrowhead vine, Goosefoot plant
syn. Syngonium angustatum
Family Araceae
Description: Closely related to Philodendron, Syngonium has similar characteristics, except that it requires more light - with the exception of the all-green varieties. One of the more remarkable characteristics: as the plant ages, leaf structure evolves from a clearly arrowhead form to a multi-leaflet (from five to eleven) lobed adult leaf.

"Juvenile plant with stems slightly glaucous; petioles sheathed 1/2-2/3 their length; blades simple, cordate, 7-14 cm long, becoming sagittate or hastate, acuminate at the apex, the anterior lobe somewhat constricted at the base, the posterior lobes usually more or less triangular, directed downward or prominently outward; blades on climbing plants 12-27 cm long. 

 Syngonium podoyphyllum in juvenile form
A slightly older goosefoot plant Adult plants with stems sometimes glaucous, sap milky; internodes 2.8-14.5 cm long, 0.5-3.5 cm wide (dry); petioles 15-60 cm long, sometimes glaucous, sheathed 2/3 their length (the sheath free-ending), rounded to obtusely angular above the sheath; blades pedatisect, the surface dark green above, pale below (sometimes glaucescent in South America); leaflets 3-11, united to free; lowermost leaflet variously ariculate at the base, the auricles oblong to oblong-elliptic to broadly elliptic; median leaflet obovate to broadly elliptic, abruptly acuminate at the apex, broadly or narrowly decurrent at the base, 16-38 cm long, 6-17 cm wide; rachis usually angular on blades with more than 3 segments; primary lateral veins 3-4 (-7) pairs on the median leaflet, sunken above, 
prominently raised beneath; collective veins 2 or 3; tertiary veins all distinct. Inflorescences 4-11 per axil; 
peduncle sometimes glaucous somewhat compressed laterally, erect and usually less than 9 cm long at anthesis, pendent, to 13 cm long in fruit; spathe 9-11 cm long; spathe tube sometimes glaucous, narrowly ovoid to ellipsoid, 3-4 cm long, 1.8-2 cm diam., green inside and out; spathe blade greenish white to creamy white or sometimes yellow (in South America) (sometimes green outside and creamy white inside), 6-7.5 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, long-cuspidate at the apex; pistillate portion of the spadix 1-2 cm long, 6-9 mm diam., greenish cream, the flowers irregularly (5-) 6 (-7) sided, adherent, the stigma discoid-capitate, sometimes 2- or 3-lobed; staminate portion of the spadix 4-7 cm long, 7-15 mm diam., cream, the synandrium with anthers usually 4, cross-shaped, 3.5-4 mm wide, partially or completely fused. Infructescences red to reddish orange or yellow (rarely brown) at maturity; syncarp ovoid, brownish, scruffy with darker brown flecks, 3-5 (-7) cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm wide; seeds many, ovoid, 7-11 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, black or brown, enveloped in a soft, grayish, sweet, pulpy mesocarp." (Croat, 1982).
"At least ten cultivars have been developed by the nursery trade for use as indoor plants and garden ornamentals. Leaf color varies considerably depending on variety. In general, leaves are arrowhead-shaped and glossy. The inflorescence comprises 6-9 green tubular-oblong flowers." 

Cultivation: Climbing epiphyte. Grows under shady conditions. Prefers moist, fertile soil.

Propagation: Mostly, if not exclusively, vegetative

Native range: Central America from Mexico to Panama. A common household plant.
Cultivars & Species:
S. auritum
S. albolineatum
   (S. podophyllum)
S. angustatum
S. wendlandii
Syngonium podophyllum 'White Butterfly' Arrowhead Plant, Nephthytis
Syngonium podophyllum 'Bold' Arrowhead plant, Nephthytis
Syngonium podophyllum 'Pink Allusion' Arrowhead Plant, Nephthytis
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