Also encountered as: Bakunawa, Scindapsus Bakunawa, Bacunawa
Family: Araceae
Genus: Scindapsus
Species: Unresolved
Naming status: Horticultural / trade name
Origin / provenance: Unresolved; associated horticulturally with the Philippines
Bakunawa is a horticultural name used for a Scindapsus circulating in the international plant trade, with a particularly strong association with Philippine horticulture.
Plants circulated as Bakunawa are generally shown with broad, substantial foliage and a dark-green ground colour. Pale silver to silvery-green markings may spread irregularly across the blade, while some plants in cultivation show additional yellow to mint-toned expression. The amount and distribution of these markings can vary between leaves.
The name is documented in publicly searchable horticultural circulation by at least March 2024. This represents a minimum documented date rather than the date the plant was first discovered, selected, propagated, or named.
Bakunawa is also the name of the great serpent or dragon associated with eclipses in Philippine mythology and folklore. Horticultural sources have described the plant as being named after this figure. However, documentation from the original grower or namer explaining when, by whom, and why the name was applied has not been identified.
The plant is strongly associated with the Philippines in horticultural circulation, including among Philippine growers and sellers. However, documentation establishing its original collection locality, original grower or selector, or confirming that the cultivated plant originated in the Philippines has not been identified.
Forms circulated as Bakunawa Aurea or Bakunawa Aurea Variegated are also encountered in horticulture. Their use indicates additional naming around Bakunawa, but documentation establishing the genetic relationship between these plants and other material circulated simply as Bakunawa has not been identified.
No botanical publication or other authoritative taxonomic documentation has been located establishing Bakunawa as a botanical species name. Claims connecting it to a particular Scindapsus species, cultivar, or horticultural lineage should therefore be treated cautiously unless supporting documentation becomes available.
Variegated Greens classification: Horticultural / trade name of unresolved botanical identity.
The botanical identity, original grower or selector, precise geographic origin, original naming circumstances, and documented ancestry of Bakunawa remain unresolved.
Research current as of September 2026.