Aglaonema commutatum
A terrestrial forest-floor aroid from the Philippines and northeastern Sulawesi. It grows as an erect, later sprawling, cane-like herb in shady, damp lowland forest. Nicolson's monograph treats it as a variable, largely apomictic complex that may be of hybrid origin, which is part of why so many barred and silver-variegated forms exist. It wants deep-to-moderate shade, constant warmth and evenly moist soil. It is sensitive to chill rather than to low light.
Where it grows wild
It grows on the ground in the understory of humid lowland and hill forest, in shady, damp places. Nicolson gives this habitat for its close relatives. For one wild-collected form of this complex from Mt Bulusan, Luzon, he gives deep shade of primary dipterocarp forest at 300–950 m. Stems stand upright at first, then become decumbent and root along the ground as they lengthen.
Philippine records span about 3–1476 m. Wild GBIF records have a median of 81 m, so most are lowland. Nicolson's Mt Bulusan material came from 300–950 m.
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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.