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Basal leaves oblong, lamina up to 25 × 9 cm.; apex obtuse, base emarginate to cordate (rarely truncate); margins regularly obtuse-dentate, with the apices of the teeth prolonged into conspicuous cilia. Petioles up to 25 cm. long, with the bases dilated and distinctly stem-clasping. Stem leaves reduced upwards, those of the middle stem sessile, and strongly auriculate with rounded lobes. Lower leaves on the inflorescence similar to the stem leaves, but with acute apices; upper ones similar but much smaller.
Perennial herb, ± 0.1 m high, when in flower up to 2.1 m high; from a strong rootstock, rosulate at base. Stems strongly grooved. Leaves up to 600 mm long, undersurface prominently veined and upper surface quilted, base attenuate, margins regularly dentate, sometimes undulate. Inflorescence branches often whorled, glabrous. Involucral bracts in 2 unequal series (5 long and 5 short), narrowly oblong, white, becoming greenish. Flowering time mainly Dec.-Feb.
Most robust of all Alepidea species; stem and peduncle hollow, up to 2 m high, rootstock rhizomatous, up to ±130 mm long and 30 mm in diameter. Radical leaves up to 400 mm long and ±100 mm wide, petioles up to 200 mm long and 10 mm wide. The involucral segments in two distinct series, the outer series much longer than the inner series. Mericarps smooth on the dorsal surfaces, except for a few inconspicuous squamose protuberances just below the sepals.
A herb. It grows 2 m tall. It has many thick side roots. The stems have grooves. The leaves at the base are oblong and 25 cm long by 9 cm wide. The leaves on the stem get smaller up the stem. The leaves have teeth around the edge.
Fruit on thickened pedicels, up to 4 × 3 mm., ovoid to obovoid, ribs inconspicuous; calyx teeth obvious, narrowly triangular; Stylopodium low-conical; styles ± persistent, short and recurved.
Vittae 5, large and well developed, 1 in each interval and 2 in the commissural face; seed closely following the outline of the pericarp, slightly curved on the inner face.
Bracts 6–10 × 2–3 mm., conspicuous, connate at the base, narrowly lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, apices subulate, whitish in colour.
Umbels terminal and lateral, dense, with 10–20 subsessile to very shortly stalked flowers.
Robust glabrous herbs up to 1·75 m., with numerous thick lateral roots.
Stems terete and strongly grooved.
Petals greenish-cream.
