Epiphytic, rarely terrestrial; stem pendent, 20–30 cm long, 1.5–3.5 cm diam.; leaf scars reported as conspicuous, ca. 2.8 cm wide; roots moderately dense, descending, brown, 6 mm diam.; cataphylls moderately coriaceous, broadly lanceolate, scarcely 1-ribbed, 4–19 cm long, acuminate at apex with subapical apiculum, green, drying brown (B & K yellow-red 9/2.5), persisting as coarse linear fibers, the apex remaining intact. Leaves spreading-pendent to pendent; petioles 27–65 cm long, 5–10 mm diam., terete to subterete or thicker than broad, slightly flattened adaxially, rounded abaxially, the surface minutely pale-speckled; geniculum paler and thicker than petiole, 1.5–3.5 cm long; sheath 2.5–12 cm; blades coriaceous to subcoriaceous, oblong to oblanceolate, acuminate at apex, acute to rounded (rarely subcordate) at base, 64–190(207) cm long, 16–32(47.5) cm wide, broadest above the middle, the margins weakly revolute, broadly and weakly undulate; upper surface glossy to semiglossy, light to medium green (B & K yellow-green 5/10), lower surface matte, paler; midrib convexly to obtusely raised, paler than surface above, obtusely anguled below; primary lateral veins (8)11–15 per side, departing midrib at 45 degree angle, arcuate-ascending to the margin, sunken in shallow grooves above, paler than surface, raised below; interprimary veins few, obscure; tertiary veins obscure above, scarcely raised and darker than surface below; collective vein arising in the lower third to about the middle of the blade, less prominent than primary lateral veins, (4)7–14 mm from margin. Inflorescences erect-spreading; peduncle 35–52 cm long, 0.5–1 cm diam., 0.5–1.7 times as long as petiole, terete; spathe reflexed and twisted, subcoriaceous, pale yellowish green to creamy white, violet at margins and at base (B & K yellow-red 9/10), oblong-lanceolate, (9)20–30(60) cm long, 1.5–4.8 cm wide, broadest just above the base, acuminate at apex (the acumen inrolled), acute at base; stipe 8–12 mm long in front, 2–5 mm long in back; spadix reddish violet to reddish purple (B & K purple 2/7.5 to red-purple 7/5–10), tapered, curved, 19.5–38 cm long, 4–9 mm diam. midway, 2–4 mm diam. near apex; flowers weakly 4-lobed to rhombic, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 1.7–3.3 mm wide, the sides straight to sigmoid; 12–16 flowers visible in principal spiral, 8–27 in alternate spiral; tepals matte and weakly punctate; lateral tepals 1.4–2.2 mm wide, the inner margins broadly rounded to somewhat concave, the outer margins 3–5-sided; pistils glossy, weakly exserted, green; stigma brush-like; stamens emerging irregularly; filaments fleshy, translucent, minutely papillate, exserted 0.5 mm; anthers creamy white to yellow, 0.5 mm long, 0.6–0.7 mm wide, inclined over the pistil; thecae ovoid-ellipsoid to pyriform, weakly divaricate; pollen yellow fading to white. Infructescence pendent to spreading-pendent, sometimes coiled; spathe withered; spadix 27–55 cm long, 1–2 cm diam., with berries scattered throughout; berries lavender, becoming white at maturity, obovoid-oblong, rounded at apex, 10–11 mm long, 5–6 mm diam.; pericarp thickened; mesocarp mealy, white; seeds 1–2 per berry, brown, oblong, (5.5)7.3–7.8 mm long, 2.8–3 mm diam., 1.3 mm thick.

Type: Unknown locality, possibly Colombia, Kew H 457/83 (K, holotype).

Napo: Laguna Grande, Pica Saladero de Dantas, Cuyabeno, 0°0'0"S, 76°12'45"W, Jaramillo 6852 (MO, QCA); Reserva de Produccion Faunistica Cuyabeno, 265 m, 0°0'S, 76°12'W, Nielsen 76223 (AAU). 76272 (AAU, MO); Lago Agrio--Coca, 26 km N of Coca, 450 m, 0°29'S, 76°55'W, Croat 50420 (MO); Coca--Hollin, Huaticocha, 500 m, 0°45'S, 77°29'W, Palacios et a.l 3543 (MO); Payamino, Reserva Floristica "El Chuncho," 250 m, 0°0'S, 77°01'W, Cerón & Palacios 3000 (MO, QCNE); ridge W of Cotapino, parallel to Río Cotapino, 360 m, 0°40'S, 77°20'W, Whitmore 718 (K); trail to Shushufindi, WSW of San Pablo de Las Secoyas, 300 m, 0°15'S, 76°21'W, Brandbyge & Asanza 32892 (AAU, MO); Lago Agrio--Puerto El Carmen de Putumayo, 15 km E of Tarapoa, 91.7 km E of Lago Agrio, 260 m, 0°08'N, 76°23'W, Croat 58579 (MO, QCA); 28 km W of Tarapoa, 48 km E of Lago Agrio, 240 m, 0°06'N, 76°33'W, Croat 58610 (BM, MO, QCA, US, W). Rd. to Agua Pungo, Tena, 1.5 km past bridge over Río Mishahualli, 550 m, 0°59'S, 77°47'W, Croat 58825 (MO); Estacion Biologica Jatun Sacha, 8 km E of Mishahualli, 450 m, Palacios 2863 (MO); Río Yasuni, 200 m, 0°57'S, 75°25'W, Balslev & Alarcon 2920A (QCA); Parque Nacional Yasuni, 200 m, 0°55'S, 76°11'W, Cerón & Hurtado 4012 (MO); Yasuni, 250 m, 0°47'S, 76°30'W, Aulestia et al. 423, 427 (MO, QCNE). Canton Aguarico, lagunas de Garza Cocha, 200 m, Cerón & Gallo 4953 (MO, QCNE); Canton Tena, headwaters of Río Huambuno, 6 km NNW of Ahuano, 440 m, 1°00'S, 77°40'W, Kohn 1155 (MO); Río Aguarico, E of Lago Agrio, road to Cepe Ferry Crossing, 450 m, 0°02'N,76°50'W, Croat 50427 (MO); 26 Apr 1984, 58513 (MO, P, QCA); Santa Cecilia, 200 m, 0°04'N, 76°58'W, Sparre 13043 (S). Río Lagartococha, Redondo Cocha, 190 m, 0°35'S, 75°5'W, Lawesson et al. 44424 (AAU). Parroquia Puerto Misahuallí, 400 m, 1°5.5'S,77°40'W, Webster 29774, 29937 (DAV); trail to Shushufindi, WSW of San Pablo de las Secoyas, 300 m, 0°15'S, 76°21'W, Brandbyge & Asanza 32892 (AAU, MO). Pastaza: Río Curaray, Lagunas Patoamo, 230 m, 1°30'S, 76°30'W, Palacios & Neill 762 (MO, NY, QAME). Napo: Cultivated Plant: Coca, collected by David Burnet, Croat 77231 (MO).