Ah, ha! When I bought it the catalog listed it as Alocasia, too. But don't Alocasias have thick leaves and the leaf axil is not enclosed by the leaf lobes. Also Alocasias tend to have leaves that point upwards.
Then someone said it had been re-classified as a Caladium because it does go dormant. And as a matter of fact, mine does! It disappears entirely below ground in winter even when the winter is very mild as our last two have been. As you say, we need a forensic plant pathologist to do a DNA test, don't we.
Caroline, keep those little ears really warm and really wet! They will jump up for you. Mine are growing outside in the shade, but it has been over 90 here every day for a month or more. Night temps 'plunge' into the 70's!
