High-climbing, lianescent herb.. Stem closely adpressed to support, attached by adventitious roots; internodes 2–5 cm. long, 0.7–1.0 cm. in diameter, longer and more slender in juvenile plants.. Petiole 8–27 cm. long; sheath extending over most of petiole length, margins deciduous; blade oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, 16–36 cm. long, 5–12.5 cm. broad, acuminate, base cuneate to subacute; lateral veins numerous, parallel, equal in thickness.. Inflorescences 1–4 near shoot tip; peduncle 12 cm. long, 0.6–0.7 cm. in diameter.. Spathe cylindric, with conic beaked tip, 8–10 cm. long, 1.7–2.3 cm. in diameter, thick, fleshy, containing numerous trichosclereids, green, becoming creamy white at maturity and then deciduous while still tubular.. Spadix subcylindric, tapering slightly at apex, 6–8.5 cm. long, 1.5–2 cm. in diameter, white.. Anthers 1 mm. long, 1 mm. broad.. Pistil 0.35–0.4 cm. long, 0.3 cm. in diameter; ovary unilocular; ovules numerous, with long funicles, arranged on 1–2 intrusive, parietal placentas with 5–6 ovules inserted separately at base of septum; stigma elliptic to shortly linear, ± 0.1 cm. long, prominent.. Fig. 1.
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