Terrestrial or sometimes epiphytic near the bases of tree trunks; stem to 25 cm long; internodes 1.5–2 cm long; cataphylls 5–7 cm long, reddish brown on drying, weathering to fine reddish brown fibers covering the internodes; petioles 20–40 cm long, 4–5 mm diam, terete and weakly sulcate to weakly flattened, at least sometimes narrowly flattened adaxially with 3 narrow close ribs, dark green, semiglossy, sheathed 1.2–2.2 cm; geniculum 1–2 cm long; blades lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, subcoriaceous, 38–46 cm long, 5.4–10.5 cm wide, acute to narrowly acuminate at apex, acute to attenuate at base, upper surface dark green, matte, subvelvety and obscurely glandular-punctate (the punctae minute and well despersed), drying gray-brown or gray-green to dark brown; lower surface light green, moderately paler, semiglossy to glossy and conspicuously dark glandular-punctate, drying yellow-brown to yellow-green; midrib convex, concolorous and darker than surface above, acute and slightly darker than surface below; primary lateral veins 16–24 per side, arising at 38–48 degree angle, quilted-sunken above, more or less pleated-raised below, drying scarcely more conspicuous than the interprimary veins; collective veins arising from the base, 1–4 mm from the margin. Inflorescence erect; peduncle 24–37 cm long, 3–4 mm diam, violet-purple to purplish, equaling or shorter than petiole; spathe lanceolate, 6–12 cm long, 9–25 mm wide, green, moderately thin, inserted at a 30 degree angle, erect then recurved, acuminate at apex, the margins meeting at an acute angle at base; spadix white to cream, or yellow-green, semiglossy, 8–12 cm long, 4–6 mm diam near the apex, 7–8 mm diam at base; stipitate 2–5 mm; flowers rhombic, 3.6–4 mm long, 3.2–3.5 wide, ca 5 per spiral; lateral tepals 1.5–2 mm wide; stamens 1.2 mm long (full length), positioned just above tepals; anthers cream. Infructescence to 17 cm long, arcuate; berries violet-purple, ovoid, 2.7 mm long, constricted toward the apex; pericarp with raphide cells; seeds 2, 1.9 mm long, 1.7 mm wide, cream, 1 per locule.

Type: Ecuador. Esmeraldas: Alto Tambo and El Hojal Sodiro s.n. (August (1904)), (lectotype, B; isolectotype, QPLS).

Esmeraldas: Río Negro, 2 km from El Placer, 500 m, 0°55'N, 78°35'W, Palacios 6923 (MO,QCNE); Parroquia de Concepcion, Playa Rica, 105 m, Mexia 8451 (F, U); Lita–San Lorenzo, Alto Tambo, 600 m, 0°56'N, 78°23'W, Palacios 12199 (MO, QCNE, TEX); Reserva Cotacachi-Cayapas, Charco Vicente, 50 m, 0°39'N, 78°55'W, Cornejo & Bonifaz 6308 (GUAY). Pichincha: Reserva ENDESA, along San Miguel de los Bancos–Puerto Quito Road, NW of Quito, Km 113, 28.6 km E of Puerto Quito, 3.1 km E of Vincente Maldonado, at end of road at bridge, 710 m, 0°3'N, 79°7'W, Croat 73189 (CM, MO); Quito–Puerto Quito Rd, Km 113, 10 km N of main highway, 800 m, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Rodriguez 310 (MO); Reserva ENDESA, 9 km N of Km. 113 on Quito–Puerto Quito Hwy, 750 m, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Croat & Rodriguez 61500 (B, K, MO, QCA, US). Bolivar: Heda. Changuil, 200 m, 2°6'S, 79°10'W, Cornejo & Bonifaz 4592 (GUAY, MO).