Epiphyte; internodes usually short, sometimes to as much as 1 cm long, ca 5 mm diam; cataphylls 2–3.5 cm long, initially pale fibrous, a few fibers persisting at upper nodes, then deciduous; petioles 6–11 cm long, drying 2–4 mm diam, flattened adaxially with lateral wings, sheathed (1.7)3.2–4.3 cm, 0.25–0.45 percentage of their length; blades 16–32 cm long, 3.7–11 cm wide, 2.1–4.8(6.8) times longer than broad, narrowly oblanceolate to nearly obovate, prominently tapered toward the base and often with margin in the basal half of the blade concave, acute to obtuse, rarely subrounded finally abruptly long-acuminate at apex, acute, obtuse to rounded at the base; midrib drying convex on both surfaces; primary lateral veins 8–10 per side, arising from one of the lower primary lateral veins, usually from the lowermost, prominently loop-connected; upper surface drying gray-green to dark yellow-brown, matte; lower surface drying greenish yellow to yellow-brown, semiglossy. Inflorescence subpendent; peduncle 26.5 cm long, usually 3–4-winged, rarely terete; spathe green, erect-spreading; spadix 6–11 cm long, drying 2–5 mm diam, prominently stipitate to 2–2.3 cm long (stipe drying 1–1.5 mm diam), green to beige, becoming purple in fruit; anthers yellowish. Infructescence not seen.

Type: Peru. Loreto: Maynas: Yurimaguas, Poeppig (W, destroyed).

Specimens, Collectors, and Herbaria: Napo: Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, Río Napo, 8 km E of Misahuallí, 400 m, 1°4'S, 77°36'W, 8 Jan 1990, Palacios 4794 (MO); Nor-Oriente, Coca-Río Payamino-Cooperativa de la Comuna, Río Payamino, 250 m, 23 Feb 1981, Jaramillo & Coello 4182 (AAU, NY); Villano, near Rucu Llacta, 0°54'S, 77°45'W, 2 Aug 1990, Bennett et al. 4387 (MO); Cantón Orellana, Sector Huashito, 20 km north of Coca, 250 m, 0°20'S, 77°5'W, 3 Nov 1989, Gudiño 163 (MO); Reserva Biológica Jatun Sacha, 8 km de Puerto Misahuallí, 400 m, 1°4'S, 77°36'W, 16 Feb 1990, Cerón et al. 8751 (MO), 6 Aug 1989, Cerón 7269 (MO); Reserva Biológica Jatun Sacha, 8 km de Puerto Misahuallí, 450 m, 1°4'S, 77°36'W, 4 Sep 1987, Cerón M. & Quinto curso de Biología U.C. 2001, 2013 (MO), 24 Aug 1988, Cerón & Cerón 4653 (MO); Reserva Faunística Cuyabeno, Río Aguarico, 230 m, 0°29'S, 75°32'W, 25 Sep 1991, Palacios et al. 7632 (MO); Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, Margen derecho del Río Napo, 8 km de Puerto Misahuallí, 450 m, 1°4'S, 77°37'W, 7 Sep 1988, Palacios 2941, 2981, 3018 (MO); 5 km al Norte de Coca y de la vía Coca-Payamin, 250 m, 0°25'S, 77°0'W, 22 Oct 1988, Palacios 3187 (MO); Río Yasuni, 80 km upriver from Nuevo Rocafuerte, 225 m,17 Sept. 1977, Foster 3703A (F, QCA); Jatun Sacha Biological Station. Río Napo, 8 km east of Misahuallí, 400 m, 1°4'S, 77°36'W, 18 May 1985, Palacios 359 (MO, QAME); Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha. 8 km abajo de Puerto Misahuallí, 450 m, 1°4'S, 77°36'W, 14 Apr 1990, Alvarez 27 (QCNE, MEXU, MO); Puerto Misahuallí, near Río Puni near Capirona village, 395 m, 1°6'S, 77°39'W, 12 Aug 1993, Webster 29756 (MO); between Tena and Napo, 5 Jan 1940, Asplund 10266 (S), 16 Oct. 1939, 9362 (S); Reserva El Chuncho, en la carretera Payamino Loreto, 0°9'57"S, 77°3'0"W, 12 Apr 1988, Arguello 828 (QCA); Río Aguarico, above puesto militar Puerto Loja, 7 Mar 1968, Harling et al. 7401 (MO); between Ríos Napo and Tena, 8 km SE of Tena,16 Sep 1960, Grubb et al. 1625 (K), 1574 (K, NY); Yasuni National Park, Estacion Cientifica Yasuni, at Tiputini, 200 m, 26 Apr 1996, Kjaer-Pedersen 2052 (AAU, MO); Napo-Pastaza: Coca, beyond SE end of airstrip, 0°40'S, 77°20'W, 27 Oct 1960, Whitmore 874 (K); Limoncocha, near NW corner of lake, Oct 1969, Mowbray 69018 (MO); Project of Payomino, Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganaderia 200 m, 0°26'S, 77°1'W, 25 Feb 1980, Brandbyge & Asanza 30027 (AAU). Pastaza: Centro-Oriente, Toñampari-Población Waorani (Aucas), 400–500 m, 14 Aug 1980, Jaramillo & Coello 3521 (AAU); Parroquia Curaray. Pozo Petrolero Villano 2 de ARCO. Entre los Ríos Iquin Villano,350 m, 1°29'S, 77°27'W, 4 Aug 1993, Tirado et al. 136 (JBGP, MO, QCNE), 130 (CAS, CM, ENCB, QCNE, MO); Pozo petrolero Villano 2 de ARCO, 400 m, 1°25'S, 77°20'W, 1 Dec 1991, Hurtado 2889 (QCNE, MO, VDB); Río Curaray; boca del Río Namoyac, 275 m, 1°24'S, 76°45'W, 14 Aug 1985, Neill & Palacios 6615 (MO); Río Pastaza, Destacamento Chiriboga-Apachi Entrza, 285 m, 2°20'S, 77°10'W, 24 July 1980, Öllgaard et al. 35236 (AAU); Río Papayacu at Río Curaray, 235 m, 1°29'S, 76°42'W, 23 Mar 1980, Holm-Nielsen et al. 22633 (AAU); Río Curaray, 3 km from military camp, 200 m, 1°38'S, 75°58'W, 30 May 1980, Jaramillo et al. 31527 (AAU); Ceilan, Río Cononaco, 200 m, 1°36'S, 75°40'W, 6 June 1980, Brandbyge & Asanza 31624 (AAU). Sucumbios: at or near Laguna Grande de Cuyabeno, 250 m, 0°0'N, 76°12'W, 20 Jan 1984 Laëgaard 51160 (QCA); between Lago Agrio and Coca, 26 km S of Lago Agrio, 4.6 km S of El Emo, then 2.8 km W of main road 355 m, 0°5'S, 76°54W, 29 Feb 1992, Croat 72524, (KYO, MO); Cantón Lago Agrio. Parroquia Dureno, 350 m, 0°2'S, 76°42'W, 1 Jan 1988, Cerón & Cerón 3135 (MO); Reserva Cuyabeno. Orilla del Río Aguarico, 230 m, 0°22'S, 75°45'W, 21 Nov 1991, Palacios et al. 9449 (MO); Río Wai si aya, 1 km up stream from the outlet in Río Aguarico.300 m, 0°15'S, 76°21'W, 6 Aug. 1981, Brandbyge et al. 33251, 33324, 33334, 33293, 36229 (AAU), 32654 (MO), 10 Aug 1980, Brandbyge & Asanza 32763 (MO), 32698,32751, 32791 (AAU, MO); Reserva de Producción Faunística Cuyabeno, N of Laguna Grande, 265 m, 0°0'S, 76°12'W, 11 April 1988, Nielsen 76304 (AAU).