Porphyrospatha crassifolia Engler, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 37:140. (1905).

Juvenile plants with scandent stems; internodes 10–20 cm or more long, ca. 1 cm diam., petioles sheathed to beyond the middle; intermediate stems climbing; petioles 15–20 cm long, sheathed ca. 2/3 their length; juvenile blades simple, ovate-oblong, abruptly acuminate at the apex, weakly hastate at the base, 15–25 cm long, 8–13 cm wide, the anterior lobe weakly constricted at the base, the posterior lobes 4–8 cm long, narrowly rounded to acute at the apex. Adult plants epiphytic or hemiepiphytic, stem to 1 m or more long, 4–6 cm diam.; internodes to 10 cm long, much shorter near the apex, yellowish brown on drying; petioles 45–70 cm long, sheathed 3/4 their length, the upper part weakly flattened adaxially near the base of the blade, becoming obtusely l-ribbed toward the sheath, the sheath free at the apex; blades entire, ovate-hastate, abruptly acuminate at the apex, conspicuously lobed at the base, 35–70 cm long, 23–40 cm wide, the anterior lobe with the sides broadly rounded, sometimes weakly constricted at the base, the posterior lobes directed outward at ca. 45 degree angle, 15–25 cm long, usually narrowly rounded at the apex, the sinus 6–15 cm deep, usually narrow, sometimes as broad as deep, the lower surface slightly paler than the upper surface; primary lateral veins 10–13 pairs, joining the midrib at ca. 30 degree angle, sunken on the upper surface, raised on the lower surface; reticulate veins obscurely visible on the upper surface, clearly visible beneath; posterior rib prominently raised, extending straight to the apex of the posterior lobes, naked 2–3 cm; primary collective vein less than 1 cm from the margin. Inflorescences several, erect; peduncles 8–15 cm long; spathe tube pale green, to 7 cm long, bluntly ribbed adaxially; spathe blade creamy white, oblong-elliptic, 9–11 cm long, constricted at the base and articulating along an elevated ring well above the end of the pistillate part of the spadix; spadix ca. 12 cm long; pistillate portion of the spadix grayish, 2–3 cm long, ca. 1 cm diam.; staminate portion of the spadix creamy white, 8–10.5 cm long, slightly narrower toward the apex, ca. 1.5 cm diam. midway, the synandrium regularly 4-lobed and truncate at the apex, weakly incised between the anthers. Infructescences pendent, yellowish, to ca. 9 cm long and 4.5 cm diam.

Type: Colombia, Antioquia, am Riachon uber Amalfi, 1800 m, Lehmann (Sept. 1884) (B. holotype). Porphyrospatha crassifolia Engler, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 37:140. (1905).

Chimborazo: El Pailon, 45 km below Maldonado, path to Tobar Donoso, 800 m, Madison & Besse 7130 (SEL). Esmeraldas: Río Cayapas, 100 m, 0°48'N, 78°54'W, Kvist & Asanza 40330 (AAU); Fila de Bilsa, 7 km E of San Jose de Bilsa, 12 km SE of El Salto on Atacames-Muisne rd., 280 m, 0°37'N, 79°51'W, Gentry et al. 72892 (MO, QCNE); Bilsa, 400-600 m, 0°21'N, 79°44'W, Clark & Troya 692 (MO, QCNE). Los Ríos: Centro Científicio Río Palenque. 47 km al sur de Santo Domingo,150 m, 0°35'S, 79°25,W, Palacios & Freire 7401 (MO, QCNE); Río Palenque Biological Station, ca. Halfway between Quevedo and Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 200 m, Gentry 11997 (MO, RPSC, SEL); along Quito--Guayaquil rd, Río Palenque Science Center, 220 m, 0°5'S, 79°3'W, Ray 46,47,48,49 (GH); : Río Palenque Biological Station, ca Km 18, Santo Domingo - Quevado Highway, 250 m, 0°35'S, 79°25'W, Croat 50649 (MO); Río Palenque Biological Station, Km 56 on Quevado--Santo Domingo road. 150-220 m, Dodson & Gentry 6582 (MO, S), Dodson & Gentry 10072 (MO, S); Los Rios or Pichincha Province, on road from Patricia Pilar to 24 de Mayo at Km 12, 600 m, Dodson et al. 8684 (MO, S); Biological Station at Río Palenque, 210-250 m, along trails W of laboratory, Croat 38661 (MO). Pichincha: Ca. 6-8 km N of Alvaro Pérez Intriago (Km 113, Quito-La Independencia hwy.), along tributary of Río Guayllabamba, 600 m, 0°10'N, 79°3'W, Grayum et al. 9366 (MO, QCA); Reserva Endesa, about 8 km North of Km. 113 on Quito-Puerto Quito Highway, vicinity of Río Cabayales; 700 m, 0°5'N, 79°2'W, Croat & Rodriguez 61522 (MO); Puerto Quito area, 720 m, Fegan et al. 13 (QCA); Rancho Brahman, about 10 km NW of the town, on road to Esmeraldas, 400 m, Sparre 14068 (S); At 32.5 km on road from Santo Domingo de los Colorados to Esmeraldas, 285 m, Ellenberg 3063 (MO).