Name: Philodendron tenue, K.Koch & Augustin 1855
Synonyms: Philodendron ecuadorense, Engl. 1899
Philodendron gracile, Schott 1860
Philodendron sodiroanum, Engl. 1899
Etymology: tenue = delicate, slender, weak
Origin: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Habitat: hemiepiphytic, from sea level up to 2000m, very widespread in northern South America, both along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. In Central America, Philodendron tenue occurs in premontane wet forests, rarely in tropical wet forests. In South America, this species is ecologically quite versatile and occurs there in the life zones of tropical thorn woodland, premontane thorn woodland, tropical dry forest, tropical wet forest, and premontane wet forest.
Notes: Philodendron tenue is one of the light-hungry philodendrons; the plant adapts strongly to its environmental conditions. In bright cultivation, the internodes and petioles are short and the leaves are slightly leathery and compact; in dark cultivation, the petioles can grow up to 1m long, and the leaves become significantly larger and softer. This strong adaptability explains the large distribution area and makes Philodendron tenue an optimal beginner plant or an easy-to-cultivate species in any collection.