Arisaema petelotii K.Krause

Perennial deciduous herb, to ca. 50 cm tall. Pseudostem 10-36 cm long. Pseudostem, petiole, peduncle and cataphylls are green with mahogany-brown and pink mottling. Stem a subterranean branched and annulate rhizome, 6-17 cm long, 4-5 cm diam., purple inside. Roots numerous, fleshy and thick cataphylls 3, the longest to 22 cm. Petiole 10-35 cm long. Leaves 2(-3), blade trifoliolate, upper surface deep green, undersurface lighter, petiolulate, glossy on both surfaces, margin slightly wavy, apex acuminate with a 1-2 cm long arista, primary veins ca. 11 pairs with many transverse secondary veins, all deeply impressed above, collective veins ca. 6-10 mm from margin. Central leaflet upright when the leaf unfolds, ovate, 25-33 cm long, 14-17 cm broad, petiolule 4.5-6 cm long. Lateral leaflets, 22-29 cm long, 13-15 cm broad, unequilateral, petiolule 2-3 cm long. Inflorescence appears soon after the leaves, held at the level of the foliage. Peduncle short, 7-12 cm long, slender, 5-6 mm diam. Spathe-tube slightly funnel-shaped, 4-5 cm long, 1.2-1.5 cm diam., pale green and translucent, base white, margin slightly recurved at the mouth level. Spathe-limb the size of the tube, ovate, green and translucent. Spathe-tip acute and cuspidate. Spadix-appendix slightly exserted of the tube, erect, subulate, 6 cm long, thin, densely covered with a tassel of 2 cm long yellowish green filaments protruding from the tube, the lower part sessile. Fertile zone either male or bisexual, ca. 4.5 cm long and ca. 1 cm diam., female part cylindrical. Male flowers loosely arranged, stamens arranged in groups of two, borne on a long stalk, anthers elliptic, thecae dehiscent by an elongate slit. Female flowers densely arranged, ovary green, topped by an apiculate stigma borne on a short style. Fruiting spike conical, 5 cm long, 3.5 cm diam. at the base to 2 cm diam. apically. Berries spindle-shaped, obovate, 7-15 mm long, 6-10 mm diam., acute at apex, each containing 1-2 seeds. Seeds 5 mm long and 4 mm diam.