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Araceae
Rhaphidophora fortis P.C.Boyce
SUMMARY
Robust, pachycaul (?), homeophyllous (?) liane to unknown ultimate height; seedling stage and pre-adult plants not observed; LEAVES: adult shoot architecture not fully observed but apparently comprised of elongated, clinging, physiognomically unbranched, flowering stems; stems with epidermis drying smooth and yellowish, with cataphylls and prophylls degrading to weak netted fibres and sheets of chartaceous tissue at the stem tips, internodes 1-2.5 x 1.5-2 cm, separated by weakly defined leaf scars; flagellate foraging stem and feeding roots not observed; clasping roots arising from nodes and internodes, smooth with dark chartaceous epidermis; leaves distichous; cataphylls and prophylls very conspicuous, extending almost to apical geniculum of newly emerging leaves, quickly degrading to netted fibres and strips of chartaceous tissue; petiole stout, broadly and shallowly canaliculate, 14-16 x 0.8-1 cm, apical geniculum prominent, basal geniculum weakly defined and obscured by cataphyll remains; petiolar sheath very prominent, extending to apical geniculum, but very swiftly degrading to netted fibres, later falling leaving a smooth, scar; lamina entire, elliptic to oblong-elliptic or lanceolate elliptic, slightly to markedly oblique, 24-31 x 8-12 cm, subcoriaceous, base rounded to subacute, apex acute to briefly acuminate, falcate; midrib raised abaxially, sunken adaxially; primary venation pinnate, slightly raised abaxially and adaxially; interprimaries parallel to primaries, less prominent, slightly raised abaxially and adaxially; secondary venation tessellate-reticulate, slightly raised abaxially and adaxially in dry specimens; INFLORESCENCES not known but apparently arising two or more sequentially between foliage leaves, subtended by netted fibre and copious sheet-like tissue; INFRUCTESCENCES with peduncle laterally compressed, c. 5 x 0.6 cm, more or less obscured by cataphyll remains; spathe not observed; spadix massively ovoid-cylindrical, sessile, inserted more or less level on peduncle, 8-9 x c. 3 cm; stylar region rounded-rhombohexagonal, c. 2.3 x 2.7, truncate; stigma punctiform, slightly raised, c. 0.6 mm diam.; anthers not observed.