Herbs, evergreen. Stem rhizomatous, epigeal, erect, later decumbent with age, 2-40 × 1-1.5 cm, densely covered with tattered cataphyll and leaf remains, older parts eventually naked. Leaves solitary to several together at shoot tips; petiole pale green, terete, 35-40 cm × 3-7 mm, sheath very short; leaf blade strongly glaucous abaxially, deep olive-green adaxially, peltate, ovate, 10-35 × 8-14 cm, membranous, base emarginate, sinus very shallow, posterior lobes almost absent, apex cuspidate. Inflorescence solitary, very strongly fragrant of naphtha; peduncle mid-green, terete, 6-12 cm. Spathe outside deep yellow, inside deep purple, lanceolate, 9-10 × 2-5 cm, reflexed on opening, apex long acuminate, distal part soon withering, marcescent, proximal part persistent into fruiting. Spadix ca. 2.5 cm × 5 mm; female zone pale creamy white, cylindric, dorsally adnate to spathe; pistil subglobose, 2-3 mm high, 0.5-1 mm in diam.; style very short; stigma 4-lobed, exceeding style width, style and stigma tinged purple; male zone pale creamy white, clavate, free; synandria 4-6-androus, 1-2 mm high, 1.5-2.5 mm in diam., 10-16-lobed, shortly stipitate. Infructescence consisting of few to many berries partially covered by persistent spathe base. Berry ripening dull red, ovoid, 6-11 × 4-7 mm.
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