Pursegloveia minima

Natural origin of Pursegloveia minima

Pursegloveia minima is native to Borneo. It was first collected beside Sungai Lapangan, a branch of Sungai Joloi in the Müller Range of central Kalimantan, at about 200 m elevation.

It is a rheophyte, growing beside flowing water where the roots stay moist and receive plenty of air. The species was originally named Aridarum minimum; its current name is Pursegloveia minima.

Care for Pursegloveia minima

• Position: A shallow pot gives the creeping stem room to spread. Keep the growing point at the surface and provide gentle air movement around the leaves.
• Light: Give low indirect light and shield the small leaves from intense direct sun through glass.
• Temperature and humidity: Pursegloveia minima grows comfortably at 20–28 °C. Protect it from prolonged temperatures below 18 °C and keep humidity near 50–60%.
• Water: Keep the small root system evenly moist. Water thoroughly as the surface begins to dry and let excess water drain away.
• Potting mix: Use a loose potting mix that holds moisture, drains freely and still lets plenty of air reach the roots.
• Feeding: Use a light feed while fresh leaves are forming.
• Repotting: A crowded root system or a stem reaching the pot edge is the cue for a wider container. Set the creeping stem at the surface of the fresh mix.
• Propagation: Divide a creeping section once it has healthy roots of its own, then keep the new division evenly moist while it settles in.

Common problems with Pursegloveia minima

• The creeping stem or roots turn dark and soft: The potting mix has stayed too wet and short of air. Cut affected tissue back to healthy tissue with a clean tool, discard the rot and replant healthy rooted sections in fresh potting mix that drains well.
• Leaves curl and lose firmness: The small root ball may have dried too far. Water thoroughly and keep moisture steadier around the roots.
• Leaf tips brown and a pale crust forms on the mix: Fertiliser or mineral salts are building up. Run low-mineral water through the pot and reduce feeding.
• New leaves turn pale or develop dry patches: The light has become too strong. Move the plant back to bright filtered light and let new growth develop there.
• Tiny insects or cottony deposits collect around leaf bases: Check closely for mites or mealybugs. Remove visible pests and use a treatment labelled for ornamental aroids, following the label for repeat applications.

Pursegloveia minima is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

The meaning and history of Pursegloveia minima

Pursegloveia honours tropical botanist John William Purseglove, who studied cultivated and wild plants in tropical regions. Minima means “very small” or “smallest” in Latin and refers to the plant’s tiny size.

Sin Yeng Wong, Shook Ling Low, and Peter Charles Boyce established the genus Pursegloveia in 2018 in Webbia, volume 73, page 66.

Hiroshi Okada first described it as Aridarum minimum in 2006 in Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica, volume 57, page 61. Sin Yeng Wong and Peter Charles Boyce later placed it in Pursegloveia as Pursegloveia minima in 2018 in Webbia, volume 73, page 69.