hoya spartiodes

The Hoya spartiodes, I was told, is one of the rarest hoyas in the hoya kingdom and is therefore every hoya collector's ultimate prize. It may not look like much, but it is truly an unusual hoya. This species is found in the south of Borneo and has been recorded in Sabah and Kalimantan. Although considered a hoya, it is sometimes placed in its own genus, Absolmsia (spartiodes). This plant has no leaves and the green tips are actually the peduncles.

It is not a hoya for the beginner as it is difficult to grew and requires a lot of light and high humidity. The flowers have a citrus flower scent. The rest of the plant does not have chlorophyll - except for an occasional small leaves which are very short-lived. The tiny orange flower clusters open one night only, and has a sharp smell like burning rubber. Seeds of this plant are carried by ants to their nests, usually rotting tree trunks, from which a plant may grow, with its root balls deep within the nest. The ants provide protection and food for the plant.