What is "ambrosina"

Ambrosina is a genus in the family Araceae that consists of only one species, Ambrosina bassii, and the only genus in the tribe Ambrosineae. This species is the smallest aroid in the Mediterranean, growing only to 8 cm tall. It is usually found growing in woodlands on north faces of hillsides and in humus soil that is covering limestone. It is distributed in Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, southern mainland Italy, Tunisia, and Algeria.

Ambrosina bassii has oval leaves that are 3.5 to 6 cm long and resemble the leaves of many aroid seedlings. The inflorescence is 2.5 cm long bent over and has an unusual spathe. The spathe is shaped like an egg and is greenish brown with dots on it. Inside the egg shaped spathe is divided two chambers. In one chamber is contained a single female flower and in the other are 8 to 10 male flowers. The seeds are dispersed by ants that eat the elaiosomes attached to the seeds.

Ambrosina bassii is not closely related to any other plant and is quite unique. It is also the only species in the tribe Ambrosineae.