Piptospatha insignis N.E.Br.

Small herb c. 12 cm tall. Stem condensed, c. 1 cm diam. Leaves several; petiole shorter than the blade, 3-5 cm long, sheathing at the extreme base, the wings extended into a ligular portion to 5 cm long drying dark brown; blade very narrowly lanceolate to very narrowly elliptic 9-14 cm long × 0.8-1.8 cm wide, coriaceous, dark green adaxially, paler abaxially, the base cuneate-decurrent, asymmetric, the tip acuminate and apiculate for 2-3 mm, the margin slightly revolute; midrib abaxially and adaxially prominent, with 3 fine primary lateral veins on each side diverging at c. 25° running to a marginal vein; secondary venation adaxially obscure, abaxially very faint; tertiary venation obscure. Inflorescence solitary (to 2-3 together, but interspersed with foliage leaves); peduncle exceeding the petioles, 6-9 cm long, reddish. Spathe at first erect, then horizontal, then nodding at anthesis, white suffused pink, the apex entirely pink, slightly upturned, apiculate for 2 mm. Spadix 1.5 cm long, subcylindric, shortly stipitate with the stipe adnate to the spathe; female zone 5 mm long, 4 mm diam.; pistils ovoid, c. 0.8 mm diam., weakly 4-5-angular; stigma sessile, discoid, weakly angular, as wide as the ovary; interpistillar staminodes absent among the pistils, several along the adaxial side of the stipe, a few at the base of the female zone on the abaxial side, stipitate, clavate, slightly taller than the pistils, the tops c. 0.6 mm diam.; sterile interstice absent; male zone subcylindric, obtuse, slightly wider than female zone, c. 8 mm long; stamens free, crowded, not obviously grouped, c. 0.6 mm across, with the connective elevated into a pointed projection c. 1 mm long; thecae truncate, opening through single apical slit-like pores. Fruit unknown, the lower spathe persisting level with the top of the female zone.