Boston fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Monstera deliciosa
Monstera
An unmistakable leaf. An open question.
- Family
- Araceae
- Habitat lens
- Forest
- Growth form
- Climber
- Research lens
- Leaf architecture
Explore the specimen.
01Openings in the blade
Look inside the outline of this mature leaf. Its internal openings are called fenestrations. Compare them with the splits that reach the edge.
02A divided outline
Trace the margin of a large leaf. Its deep divisions change the silhouette without separating the leaf into independent leaves.
03A climbing form
Step back from a single leaf and follow the plant upwards. Monstera is a climber; this photograph records a plant supported in a conservatory.
A closer look
Small details.
Extraordinary stories.
A climbing tropical plant with large leaves that can develop splits and internal openings. These openings are called fenestrations. Their appearance changes as the plant develops, making the leaf a useful place to begin observing variation.
What to look for
Compare a younger leaf with a mature one. Record the outline, the number of openings, and where each opening sits relative to the central vein.
How does leaf shape change as a plant matures?
A note on observation
A visible feature is an observation; an explanation for its evolutionary purpose needs evidence. Keep those two kinds of statement separate.
Follow the evidence
Habitat labels are broad browsing categories, not complete distribution records. This dossier is an editorial introduction, not original field research.
Photograph & license
Raul654. Original photograph · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP; displayed crops may vary.
