Epiphyte; stems 1.2–1.5 m long; internodes short, 3–5 cm diam.; cataphylls 20–33 cm long, subcoriaceous, reddish brown at apex, persistent semi-intact toward apex, eventually weathering to reddish brown fibers with patches of semiglossy epidermis; petioles (23) 48–150 cm long, equal to or longer than the blades, green, subterete, sharply and narrowly concave-sulcate and sometimes 4 to many-ribbed (ca. 15) circumferentially, brittle, sheathed 3–6 cm; geniculum 2–3 cm long, drying darker; blades subtriangular-cordate, (24)50–120 cm long, (12) 60–100 cm wide, pendent from the petiole, broadest at point of petiole insertion, anterior lobe prominently constricted about midway, lower half of the blade more or less reniform with rounded, prominently incurved posterior lobes, apical half oblong-triangular and acuminate to cuspidate at apex, broadly confluent with the basal portion, subcoriaceous, weakly bicolorous, dark green and semiglossy above, drying gray-green, slightly paler and semiglossy to matte below, drying yellow-brown to reddish brown, the margins broadly undulate; sinus broadly rounded to truncate at apex, ca. 30 cm wide, 12–20 cm deep; midrib bluntly acute above, almost acute below, (the two sides convex but with an acute rib); major veins moderately paler below; primary lateral veins to 14–16 pairs, arising at 35–50 degree angle, then curving toward margin, narrowly acute on both surfaces, drying brown below; interprimary veins 1–2 between each set of primary lateral veins; secondary veins in part sunken above, raised below; tertiary veins in part sunken above, raised below; basal veins 9–11 pairs, the 1st pair coalesced 1.5–4 cm, 8th–10th coalesced up to 17 cm; posterior rib naked along the sinus most of its length; collective veins arising from one of the lowermost basal veins, 3–5 mm from the margin. Inflorescence erect-spreading; peduncle 21–50 cm long, to 1 cm diam., variously striate and obtusely sulcate adaxially; spathe white to light green, sometimes tinged magenta, spreading, 17–20 cm long, 3–4.5 cm wide, subcoriaceous, narrowly acuminate and inrolled at apex, cordulate and somewhat decurrent at base; spadix erect, sessile, or stipitate 3 mm, reddish pink to magenta, weakly tapered to apex, 15–27 cm long, 1–2 cm diam.; flowers rhombic, 2.5 mm long, 2.4 mm wide, 10–15 visible per spiral, the sides straight on both sides; lateral tepals 1.8–2.4 mm wide, the inner margins rounded to straight, the sides with raphides present; stamens held at the level of the tepals; anthers yellow, 1.8–2 mm long, drying ca. 0.2 mm wide; infructescence red, more than 3 cm diam.; berries early-emergent, 4 mm long, red-violet to magenta at apex, whitish in lower 2/3; seeds 1 per locule, 2.5 mm long.

Type: Ecuador. Pichincha: Reserva Endesa, 9 km N of km 113 on Quito-Puerto Quito road, 750 m, 0°5'N, 79°02'W, 15 July 1986, Croat & Rodríguez 61464 (holotype, MO-3418455-58; isotypes, AAU, B, K, NY, QCA, QCNE, US).

Esmeraldas: Bilsa, 400-600 m, 0°21'N, 79°44'W, Clark & Watt 897 (QCNE, MO). Imbabura: Ibarra Cantón: Lita, 600 m, Madison et al. s.n. (Selby 78-1913). Carchi: SE of Maldonado, 3200 m, 0°48'N, 77°59'W, Thompson & Rawlins 932 (CM, MO); 9-10 mi SE of Maldonado, on road to Tulcán 2480-2550 m, 0°51'N,78°2'W, Thompson & Rawlins 923 (CM, MO); Cerro Golondrinas. Upper Río Pablo drainage, along crest of ridge to north of river,1740-1780 m, 0°53'N, 78°10'W, Boyle & Dalmau 1755 (MO); El Carmen. Cerro Golondrinas. Bosque Montano, 2000-2400 m, 0°50'N, 78°11'W, Tirado et al. 1228 (QCNE, MO). Pichincha: 53.2 km E of Allurquín, on Machachi-Santo Domingo de los Colorados road, 2,660 m, 0°26'S, 78°36'W, Thompson & Rawlins 1082 (CM); Reserva Endesa, 9 km N of Km 113 on Quito- Puerto QuitoHighway. 750 m, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Croat & Rodriguez 61464 (AAU, B, K, MO, NY, QCA, QCNE, US); Bosque Protector Maquipucuna, Cerro Monte Cristi, ca. 9 km airline SE of Nanegal, 2500 m, 0°3'N, 78°36'W, Webster et al. 30581 (DAV); Quito-Puerto Quito Rd, Km 113, 10 km N of main highway, 800 m, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Velastegui & Arguello 98 (QCA); Endesa, Quito-Puerto Quito Rd., Km 113, 750 m, Rodriguez, J. et.al 53 (QCA), 330 (QCA); 283 (MO, QCA).