Rhaphidophora gorokensis (Araceae)
Small, homeophyllous (?) liane to 12 m; seedling stage and pre-adult plants not observed; LEAVES: adult shoot architecture not fully observed but presumably comprised of elongated, clinging, physiognomically unbranched, leafy, non-flowering stems and (observed), free, little branching, sympodial, densely leafy flowering stems; stems terete in cross-section, without cataphyll, prophyll and petiolar sheath fibre, internodes to 1-4 x 0.5-0.8 cm, separated by slightly oblique, corky leaf scars; flagellate foraging stems, clasping roots and feeding roots unknown; leaves spiro-distichous on free shoots; cataphylls and prophylls chartaceous, caducous; petiole deeply canaliculate, 6.5-11 x 0.15-0.25 cm, smooth, genicula weak; petiolar sheath prominent, chartaceous, extending to apical geniculum, briefly persistent, then partially caducous, later falling leaving an irregular, corky scar; lamina entire, narrowly lanceolate to elliptic, oblique, falcate, 7-16 x 2-5 cm, stiffly coriaceous, base acute, oblique, apex long-acuminate with a minute tubule; midrib raised abaxially, flush to slightly sunken adaxially; primary venation densely pinnate, raised abaxially and adaxially; interprimaries sub-parallel to primaries, indistinguishable from them; secondary and tertiary venation conspicuously parallel-reticulate; INFLORESCENCE solitary, subtended by an under-developed foliage leaf; peduncle compressed-terete, 5-7 x 0.2-0.2.5 cm; spathe narrowly canoe-shaped, stout-acuminate, 6-6.5 x c. 1.5 cm, marcescent(?); spadix cylindrical, sessile, 3.3-3.5 x c. 0.7 cm; stylar region rhombohexagonal, c. 0.9-1 x 0.8-1.1 mm, truncate; stigma punctiform, flush with a raised rim, c. 0.5 mm diam.; anthers not exserted at male anthesis; INFRUCTESCENCE not observed.
Similar to Rhaphidophora kokodensis, R. okapensis, R. pilosa and R. waria in being a montane species with small, stiffly coriaceous leaves. It is readily distinguishable from R. okapensis and R. waria by flowering on free lateral shoots and by the sessile spadix. It can be further distinguished from R. waria by the petiolar sheaths falling more or less entire and not degrading into fibres, and from R. okapensis by the shape of the leaf lamina (narrowly lanceolate to elliptic, base acute, apex long-acuminate with a minute tubule v. ovate, base cordate, apex long acuminate with a pronounced tubule). From R. kokodensis and R. pilosa (both flowering on free lateral shoots) R. gorokensis is distinguished in lacking petiolar sheath fibre.
Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands Prov. - Goroka and Mendi).
Lower montane rain forest, Fagaceae and Nothofagaceae forest on limestone