Piptospatha N.E.Br.

Small to medium-sized evergreen obligate rheophytes; Stem erect or decumbent, usually more or less condensed. Leaves several; petiole semi-terete to canaliculate on upper side; petiolar sheath short with long, marcescent ligule; leaf blade elongate-lanceolate to elliptic or oblanceolate, coriaceous, basally cuneate, apex with tubular mucro; primary lateral veins pinnate, running into distinct marginal vein, secondary laterals and higher order venation either parallel-pinnate or tessellate. Inflorescence solitary per module, emerging orthotropic, maturing (prior to the onset of anthesis) anatropic; peduncle subequal to or longer than petiole; spathe stoutly ellipsoid, not constricted, usually pink, rarely white, lower part persistent and cup-like, upper part inflating and then gaping at anthesis, soon-caducous, cuspidate to acuminate, often with a pronounced terminal rostrum becoming reflexed at anthesis, interior frequently with one to several pronounced crests, especially in the distal part; spadix sessile with oblique insertion, often with staminodes basally; pistillate flower zone cylindric; pistils connate into a syncarpium, or free but cohering to neighboring ones; ovary 1-locular; ovules many, placenta 2-4, parietal; stigma 6 sessile, usually as broad as ovary and more or less contiguous with adjacent ones; staminate flower zone contiguous with pistillate, cylindric to ellipsoid, equal in thickness to pistillate, obtuse; stamens arranged in pairs or irregular, free, compressed, anthers truncate, connective 6 flat or expanded apically or with conspicuous conical beak overtopping thecae; thecae oblong-ellipsoid, dehiscing by apical pore; appendix absent. Infructescence a cluster of berries subtended by a narrow to wide-flaring obconic spathe base carried on an erect peduncle, spadix above fruiting portion degrading and shed entirely soon after fertilization; berry obovoid to subcylindric, small, green, either fused into a syncarpium (most species), or free but cohering to adjacent berries. Seed numerous, elongate-ellipsoid to cylindric, with long, curved micropylar appendage, testa slightly costate, embryo elongate, endosperm copious.