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Araceae
Rhaphidophora sarasinorum Engl.
SUMMARY
Large, robust, homeophyllous liane to unknown ultimate height; seedling stage and pre-adult plants unknown; stems smooth, terete in cross-section, internodes to 1 x 1.5 cm long, separated by large oblique, very prominent, slightly shiny leaf scars; flagellate foraging stems, clasping roots, & feeding roots unknown; LEAVES weakly spiralled on free shoots; cataphylls and prophylls membranous, quickly drying and degrading into soft fibre, then swiftly falling; petiole canaliculate, 16-22 x 0.25-0.4 cm, smooth, apical and basal genicula well defined; petiolar sheath not observed, scar from (swiftly?) fallen sheath extending to the apical geniculum; lamina entire, oblique-oblong, 21-27 x 9.5-12 cm, coriaceous, upper surfaces semiglossy, lower surfaces matt, base obtuse, apex acuminate with a prominent tubule; midrib raised abaxially, very slightly sunken adaxially; primary venation pinnate, barely raised abaxially and adaxially; interprimaries parallel to primaries and barely less prominent; secondary and tertiary venation ± barely visible in dried specimens; INFLORESCENCE solitary, subtended by a fully developed foliage leaf and one (more?) cataphylls; peduncle compressed-cylindric, 12 x 0.5 cm; spathe ovate-canoe-shaped, stoutly long beaked, 14.5 x 7 cm (flattened out), thickly stiff-fleshy, exterior green, turning purple with age, yellow internally, persistent at least until anthesis; spadix very slightly tapering-cylindrical, very briefly stipitate, 8-10 x 1-1.5 cm; stipe c. 2 mm long; stylar region very weakly rhombohexagonal, almost circular, c. 0.8-0.9 mm diam., truncate; stigma punctiform, raised, c. 0.3 mm diam.; anthers well exserted at anthesis; INFRUCTESCENCE unknown.