Goeppertia longipetiolata · ← Goeppertia Updated 2026-08-14

GOEPPERTIA

Goeppertia longipetiolata

An accepted Marantaceae species transferred from Calathea to Goeppertia in the 2012 molecular phylogenetic revision by Borchsenius, Suárez and Linda M. Prince.


Overview

Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez is an accepted species in the family Marantaceae, one of approximately 260 species currently recognised within Goeppertia Nees [2]. The GBIF Backbone Taxonomy records the name as accepted under GBIF key 9381460, and Plants of the World Online (Kew POWO) lists the species in the accepted inventory of Goeppertia Nees [3][4].

Goeppertia as currently circumscribed encompasses the great majority of species formerly placed in Calathea G.Mey. The 2012 molecular phylogenetic revision by Borchsenius, Suárez and Linda M. Prince demonstrated that Calathea as previously circumscribed was polyphyletic, and published 246 new combinations transferring those species to Goeppertia [2]. Goeppertia longipetiolata is one of the names established through that revision. The registry records the species as present in cultivation (in_cultivation = true), and the synonym Calathea longipetiolata H.Kenn. remains in continued horticultural use, a pattern documented across the genus following the 2012 reclassification [2].

The specific epithet longipetiolata is Latin descriptive, meaning 'with a long petiole', consistent with a pattern of structurally descriptive epithets applied to Marantaceae species by the basionym's author.

Nomenclature and synonymy

The accepted name Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez carries two elements in its authority string. The parenthetical '(H.Kenn.)' records that the basionym was authored by Helen Kennedy, a specialist in Marantaceae taxonomy whose publication record in journals including Phytologia and Novon is indexed in the BioStor literature index [1]. The names 'Borchs. & S.Suárez' record Finn Borchsenius and Lorena Suárez as the authors of the new combination [2].

The combination was published in Borchsenius, Suárez and Linda M. Prince, 'Molecular phylogeny and redefined generic limits of Calathea (Marantaceae)', Systematic Botany 37(3): 620–635, 2012, accessible via DOI 10.1600/036364412X648571 [2]. A registry conflict exists on the third author's name: the registry records 'Leigh Prince', while a primary record identifies the author as Linda M. Prince. This discrepancy has been flagged for human review; the primary publication remains the same paper in all other respects.

The basionym is Calathea longipetiolata H.Kenn. The GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and Kew POWO both treat this name as a synonym resolving to the accepted Goeppertia combination [3][4]. The specific journal, volume, page numbers and year of Kennedy's original publication of Calathea longipetiolata H.Kenn. have not been retrieved from a primary record in searches conducted for this page. Limited public data available; further research needed.

The registry names table records two names for this taxon: the accepted epithet Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez and the synonym Calathea longipetiolata H.Kenn., both marked as prose-citable [2][3].

Description

No diagnostic morphological description of Goeppertia longipetiolata has been retrieved from a primary taxonomic source in searches conducted for this page. No authoritative characterisation of leaf dimensions, inflorescence structure, or other diagnostic features has been located in an approved source category.

Limited authoritative sources available; further research needed.

At genus level, Kew POWO characterises Goeppertia Nees broadly as a perennial herbaceous genus growing primarily in wet tropical biome settings [4]. This genus-level characterisation cannot be applied as a species-specific description for G. longipetiolata without a species-specific primary record. The specific epithet longipetiolata ('with a long petiole') is structurally informative but is not a taxonomic description in itself.

Distribution and habitat

The registry records the native range and habitat of Goeppertia longipetiolata as not documented. No native range for this species has been retrieved from an authoritative primary source in searches conducted for this page.

Limited authoritative sources available; further research needed.

The GBIF Backbone Taxonomy entry for GBIF key 9381460 accepts the species but no occurrence data specific to this taxon were retrieved from that dataset in searches conducted for this page [3]. Kew POWO records Goeppertia broadly as a genus of wet tropical biome perennials with the majority of species originating in the Neotropics, but this genus-level characterisation cannot be applied as a species-level distribution statement for G. longipetiolata without a species-specific primary record [4].

In cultivation

The registry records Goeppertia longipetiolata as present in cultivation (in_cultivation = true). No cultivar registrations have been recorded for this species in the registry; the cultivar table for this taxon carries no rows.

The trade continues to apply the synonym Calathea longipetiolata to plants that the 2012 revision placed in Goeppertia, as recorded in the registry names table [2]. This pattern of dual-name usage is documented across the genus following the 2012 reclassification and is not specific to this species.

No documentation from botanical gardens, herbarium publications, or university extension services describing G. longipetiolata in cultivation has been retrieved from searches conducted for this page. Limited authoritative sources available; further research needed.

This species carries no plant patent. The extent to which the species is grown commercially or in private collections is not documented in any approved source category retrieved for this page.

Cultivar registration context

No International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) has been appointed for Marantaceae. ICRAs are appointed by the Commission on Cultivar Registration of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) and operate under the provisions of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) [5]. Marantaceae does not appear in the roster of families or genera for which an ICRA has been appointed.

By contrast, the International Aroid Society (IAS) is the appointed ICRA for Araceae, a separate family in the order Zingiberales [6]. No equivalent body exists for Marantaceae or other families within Zingiberales as documented by the ISHS cultivar registration programme [5].

The absence of an appointed ICRA means that cultivar epithets applied to Goeppertia species, including any applied to cultivated selections of G. longipetiolata, are not subject to centralised examination or registration by a designated authority. The ICNCP nevertheless governs how such epithets are formed and cited, requiring a cultivar epithet to be enclosed in single quotation marks. Digital Towns is an applicant and aggregator; it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by ISHS or any appointed ICRA.

Registry record

The entries below are the registry rows this article is written from. Each carries its own source, its role, and both dates. A row recorded as nomenclatural evidence is dated documentation of a name in use and is never cited in the prose above.

Accepted name

Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez

Accepted name per the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (key 9381460).

Synonymy and trade names

1 other name for this species is in documented use. The trade continues to sell most of these plants under their former Calathea names.

NameClassSource
Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez Accepted GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (dataset d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c)
Calathea longipetiolata Synonym Borchsenius, F., Suárez, S. & Prince, L. (2012). Molecular phylogeny and redefined generic limits of Calathea (Marantaceae). Systematic Botany 37(3): 620–635. (2012-09-01)
Calathea name in continued horticultural use; transferred to Goeppertia by Borchsenius, Suárez & Prince (2012).

Profile

Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez is an accepted species in the family Marantaceae, recognised under GBIF key 9381460 and listed in the Kew Plants of the World Online checklist. Its basionym, Calathea longipetiolata H.Kenn., was transferred to Goeppertia by Borchsenius, Suárez and Linda M. Prince in their 2012 molecular phylogenetic revision published in Systematic Botany.

Cultivars of this species (0)

No cultivar has been attributed to this species in the registry.

See an error, or have documentation we lack? Submissions open shortly. Corrections are reviewed against documentation before the record changes.

Sources

  1. BioStor index of publications by Helen Kennedy (H.Kenn.), including records in Phytologia vol. 69 (1990) and Novon vol. 21 no. 2 (2011) (n.d.). BioStor / Biodiversity Heritage Library. https://biostor.org/?q=K+A+Kennedy Accessed 2026-08-14.
  2. Borchsenius, F., Suárez, L.S.S. & Prince, M.L. (2012). Molecular phylogeny and redefined generic limits of Calathea (Marantaceae). Systematic Botany 37(3): 620–635. (2012-09-01). American Society of Plant Taxonomists / Systematic Botany. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364412X648571 Accessed 2026-08-14.
  3. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (dataset d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c), GBIF key 9381460: Goeppertia longipetiolata (H.Kenn.) Borchs. & S.Suárez (n.d.). Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c Accessed 2026-08-11.
  4. Plants of the World Online: Goeppertia Nees — accepted species list. International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Kew POWO). https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30215678-2 Accessed 2026-08-14.
  5. Cultivar Registration — Commission on Cultivar Registration. International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). (n.d.). International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). https://ishs.org/scientific-structure/cmnr-cultivar-registration/ Accessed 2026-08-14.
  6. About — Aroid Cultivar Registry. International Aroid Society (IAS) as ICRA for Araceae, appointed by ISHS. (n.d.). International Aroid Society (IAS). https://www.aroidcultivars.org/about Accessed 2026-08-14.