Satin Pothos

Overview

Scindapsus pictus is native to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaya, Philippines, and Thailand. Generally used as ornamental plants, and there are also used as medicinal plants. It is used as an indoor climber or ornamental plant for its attractive, white-spotted green, juvenile leaves. It can also be grown in semi-shaded areas in outdoor landscape designs. 

Vernacular Names

No found data on this. Need further research. 

Agroecology

Easy to grow at elevation of 1-1.800 m asl, with the temperature of 15-34 °C, and annual rainfall is 1,600-3,000 mm. Prefers semi-shade to full shade. Grows best in moderate water, with a soil pH 6.1-6.5. The ideal relative humidity for the plant is 40 to 50%. This tropical plant is intolerant of frost. At a lower temperature, it will suffer cold damage and die. In dry air, the leaf tips can turn brown. 

Morphology

• Stem - has 12 m long.
• Leaves - alternate, stalked leaves have somewhat leathery or fleshy leaf blades that are green with white blotches or spots, and up to about 15 by 14 cm. It has two kinds of leaves: juvenile leaves when it is young at the lower portions of its stem, and mature leaves at the tip of the plant that is higher up. Its juvenile leaves have leaf blades that are egg-shaped or heart-shaped, while in mature leaves, they are oblong, lance- or heart-shaped, and pale green below.
• Flowers - found on a cylindrical, white, 3–6 cm-long shoot (spadix) enclosed by a flesh-coloured white, 5–7 cm-long, modified leaf (spathe).
• Fruits - simple, fleshy, dark green, 1-seeded berry.

Cultivation

Generative propagation is by seed, and vegetative propagation is by stem cutting.

Chemical Constituents

Alkaloids, steroids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• It is used by Mambi traditional communities as anticancer.
• Study showed antiinflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant and anti-tumor activities.