Terrestrial; stems to 60 cm long; internodes 1– cm long, 0.5–3 cm diam.; cataphylls 20–25 cm long, initially persisting as fibers then deciduous; leaves erect; petioles 40–60 cm long, 5 mm diam., subterete to obtusely D-shaped toward apex, obtusely sulcate, sheathed 2–5 cm; geniculum 1–1.5 cm long, darker than the remainder; blades somewhat panduriforme, 30–54 cm long, 20–36 cm wide, broadest at the petiole insertion, acute to acuminate at apex, deeply lobed at base, subcoriaceous, dark green and glossy, drying grayish green above, much paler and glossy, drying yellow-green and glossy below, sometimes with obscure glandular dots; the posterior lobes 16–26 cm long, rounded, directed downward or outward; sinus spathuliform to hippocrepiform; midrib weakly raised and concolorous above, more prominent and tinged brownish below; primary lateral veins 19–21 per side, sunken above, convex, drying paler than surface beneath, arising at 30–45 degree angle, prominently raised below; basal veins 6–9 pairs; collective veins arising from the 3rd or 4th basal vein, 1.5–5 mm from the margin; antimarginal veins present; peduncle 15–30 cm long, 3 mm diam., sulcate adaxially, sometimes striate, green tinged maroon, 1/4–1/3 as long as the petioles; spathe linear-lanceolate, green with purplish violet lines, 8–15 cm long, 1–2.5 cm wide, subcoriaceous, inserted at 45 degree angle, recurved, acuminate at apex, the margins meeting at an angle of ca. 110 degrees at the base; spadix golden-yellow to yellowish orange, sessile, 8–15 cm long, 5–8 mm diam.; flowers rhombic to quadrangular, 2.1–2.3 mm diam., 7–8 visible per spiral; lateral tepals 1.5 mm wide, the inner margins convex, with raphides on the lateral walls; stamens 1.6 mm long, prominently exserted; anthers yellow; berries ovoid, pale green; seeds greenish white, 2.3–2.5 mm long, 0.8–1 mm wide, 1 per locule.

Type: Costa Rica. San Miguel, Wendland 776 (GOET).

Carchi: El Pailón, ca. 45 km below Maldonado, along path to Tobar Donoso, 800 m, Madison & Besse 7177, 7180 (SEL). Esmeraldas: vic. Lita, 550–650 m, Madison et al. 5058 (SEL). Pichincha: Reserva Endesa, 9 km N of Km. 113 on Quito-Pto. Quito Highway, 750 m, 0°5N, 79°2'W, Croat & Rodríguez 61468 (CM, G, K, MO, QCA); Reserva Endesa ca. 6 km WNW of P. Vicente Maldonado, 850 m, Harling & Andersson 23247, 23322 (GB); Reserva Endesa, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Jaramillo 7626 (QCA); Reserva Endesa, 800 m, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Rodríguez 198 (MO), 225, 395A (QCA), 419 (K, QCA), 423 (QCA). Tinalandia, 9.6 km E of Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 700 m, 0°16'S, 79°07'W, Croat 55740 (MO); Centinela, 10 km airline miles SE of Patricia Pilar, 600–675 m, 0°37'S, 79°18'W, Grayum & Zamora 9402 (MO).