Anthurium carlablackiae
Carla Blackie's Anthurium
Morphology
About
Anthurium carlablackiae, described by Croat and O.Ortiz, is a compact and fiercely coveted species from the tropical forests spanning Panama to Colombia. It grows as a terrestrial or low epiphyte in rich organic debris and deep leaf litter on shaded forest floors, developing short, tightly spaced internodes and a self-heading crown of extraordinary leaves. The broad, cordate to ovate-cordate blades are deep velvety dark green to a startling near-black, with crisp, contrasting white venation and burgundy-toned petioles that deepen with maturity. A pale spathe flushed with pink completes the picture. Among the velvet anthuriums, carlablackiae is spoken of in hushed tones — exceptionally difficult to locate and one of the most desirable species in serious aroid collections.
Climate Profile
Market Analysis & Price Guide
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A Discovery of Considerable Consequence
I first encountered *Anthurium carlablackiae* in a photograph shared by a fellow collector in Panama, and I confess the image stopped me cold. That near-black velvet surface, those impossibly crisp white veins — surely, I thought, this must be a hybrid. It is not. It is a perfectly described wild species from the forested slopes between Panama and Colombia, growing quietly in leaf litter and organic debris while the rest of the plant world fails to notice it. Getting one's hands on a legitimate specimen requires patience, connections, and the willingness to spend rather more than one's spouse might consider reasonable. Mine remains the crown jewel of the collection, producing each new leaf with agonising slowness and maximum theatrical effect.