Anthurium pallens Schott,

Oesterr. Bot. Z. 8: 180. 1858. TYPE: Costa Rica. Near Desengano, 2,600 m, Wendland 840 (GOET).

Epiphytic; scandent; cataphylls drying reddish brown, weathering into linear fibers and persisting; petioles subterete, 7-25 cm long, 2.5-6.5 cm diam., narrowly sulcate; blades lanceolate-linear to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 18-34.5 cm long, 2.5-6.5 cm wide. Inflorescence more or less erect; peduncle 10-16 cm long; spathe green, lanceolate, 2.5-3.2 cm long, 0.8-1 cm wide; spadix green turning yellow (sometimes orange), 3-4.5 cm long, 3-6 mm diam. at base; berries green to yellow-green (?), more or less globose. See Croat (1983: 339) for a more complete description.

Anthurium pallens is known from Costa Rica and Panama at 1,000 to 2,000 m in premontane and lower montane rain forest life zones.

The species is a member of section Xialophyllium and is recognized by having blades that are acute to rounded at the base. It is easily confused with Anthurium microspadix with which it shares similar habitats but diners in having shorter internodes, longer petioles, and blades that dry a characteristic weak glossy gray-green.

Map of Mesoamerican specimens with coordinates

Costa Rica Costa Rica: 2600 m,, 9 May 1857 ?, Wendland 840 (GOET).
Costa Rica Heredia: 2060 m, 10.11N 84.07W, 14 April 1986, Michael H. Grayum 7089 (MO).
Costa Rica Heredia: Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo, 2500 m, 10.07.22N 84.07.15W, 20 June 1990, Varela 142 (MO).
Costa Rica Heredia: 2000 m, 10.10N 84.06W, 5 April 1988, B.A. Loiselle 368 (MO).
Costa Rica Heredia: Volcán Barba,, , Brade 2511 (BR).
Costa Rica Heredia: 2000 m, 10.06N 84.03W, 25 Oct. 1975, Burger, W. & R. Baker 9481A (MO).
Costa Rica Heredia: 1600-1800 m, 10.04N 84.01W, 6-7 Feb 1977, Burger, W. et al. 10268A (MO).
Nicaragua Jinotega: 1200 - 1400 m, 13.17N 085.40W, 24 julio 1997, Ricardo Rueda & Indiana Coronado 6889 (MO).
Nicaragua Jinotega: 1200 - 1400 m, 13.17N 085.40W, 24 julio 1997, Ricardo Rueda & Indiana Coronado 6921 (MO).
Nicaragua Jinotega: 1200 - 1500 m, 13.17N 085.41W, 25 julio 1997, Ricardo Rueda & Indiana Coronado 7012 (MO).
Panama Chiriquí: 1800-2200 m, 08.49N 82.23W, 7 Feb 1986, Michael H. Grayum 6405 (MO).

Map of South American Specimens with coordinates

Ecuador Los Ríos: 300-400 m, 00.36S 79.18W, 01 July 1977, Iltis et al. E-95A (SEL,WIS).