Rhaphidophora pachyphylla K.Krause

Moderate to rather large, somewhat robust, semi-leptocaul, homeophyllous neotenic liane to 5 m; seedling stage a non-skototropic shingling juvenile shoot; pre-adult plants forming small terrestrial colonies; LEAVES: adult shoot architecture comprised of clinging, physiognomically unbranched, mostly densely leafy, sterile stems and free, leafy flowering stems; stems rectangular-terete in cross-section, widest side prominently convex, smooth, mid-green, without prophyll, cataphyll and petiolar sheath fibre although flowering shoots occasionally with parchment-like remains, internodes to 3 x 1 cm, separated by rather prominent ± straight scars, older stems sub-woody; flagellate foraging stems absent; clasping roots arising sparsely from the internodes, pubescent; feeding roots not observed; leaves distichous, those on adherent shoots shingling, those on free shoots slightly spreading, all densely arranged; cataphylls and prophylls membranous, caducous; petiole deeply grooved, 1.5-4 x 0.15-0.2 cm, smooth, apical and basal genicula quite prominent; petiolar sheath prominent, membranous, ligulate, slightly unequal on one side, of short-duration, degrading to very weak fibres and soon falling; lamina narrowly ovate-elliptic, stiffly coriaceous, base acute to cuneate, apex acute with a short tubule; midrib prominently raised abaxially, slightly impressed adaxially; primary venation pinnate, slightly raised abaxially, somewhat impressed adaxially; interprimaries sub-parallel to primaries, slightly raised on both leaf surfaces; secondary venation weakly reticulate, slightly raised abaxially, ± flush adaxially; INFLORESCNCE solitary on short to somewhat elongated leafy shoots, subtended by a fully developed foliage leaf, and soon-degrading membranous prophyll; peduncle terete, 4-7 x 0.2-0.25 cm; spathe broadly canoe-shaped, obtuse to slightly pointed, 5-6.5 x 1.5-2.2 cm, stiffly fleshy, yellow, gaping at female anthesis and then caducous leaving a large scar at the base of the spadix; spadix narrowly cigar-shaped, long stipitate, inserted obliquely on stipe, 4-5.5 x 1.2-1.6 cm, yellow; stipe 6-10 x 2-2.4 mm; stylar region weakly developed, mostly irregularly rhombohexagonal, 1-1.2 x1-1.4 mm, truncate; stigma slightly raised, punctiform, c. 0.2-0.3 x 0.3-0.35 mm; anthers slightly exserted at male anthesis; INFRUCTESCENCE not seen.