Description: Herb with short stolons, latex white; stem thick, to 2.5 m tall. Leaves in terminal crown, peltate, cordate-sagittate to ovate, to 1.3 m; apex acute; lateral veins 9-12 on each side; petioles to 1.5 m; sheath membranous. Inflorescences 2-3 in each floral sympodium, cataphylls membranous; peduncle to 35 cm. Spathe pale white, glaucous inside, 13-25 cm long, constricted above the base, lower part ovoid; limb lanceolate, hooded; spadix shorter than the spathe, shortly stipitate. Female zone below, 1-2 cm long; ovary ca 2 mm diam.; stigma weakly 3-lobed, viscous, sessile; sterile zone tapering from female zone, ca as long as male zone, creamy. Male zone cylindrical, white-creamy, 3-5 cm long; synandria obpyramidal, ca 1.5 mm diam.; appendix elongate conical, shorter than the spadix. Fruting spathe ca 6 cm; fruits globose, ca 1 cm in diam., bright red. |
