Schismatoglottis merrillii Engl.

Moderately robust herb. Stem ?becoming epigeal, ?pleionanthic. Petioles 18–42 cm long, sheathing in the lower half; wings of sheath fully attached, tapering; blade elliptic to ovate, 16–25 cm long x 4.5–10 cm wide; tip acuminate for c. 2 cm; base broadly acute to obtuse, rarely very slightly cordate; midrib abaxially somewhat prominent, with c. 10–12 primary lateral veins on each side, these alternating with well-defined interprimary veins, diverging at c. 30–45°. Inflorescences several together; peduncle short at anthesis, extending to c. 15 cm in fruit. Spathe 3.5–4 cm long, constricted at c. ¼‥ of the way from the base; limb white, turbinate, distally acuminate, caducous. Spadix 2.3–3 cm long, sessile; female zone c. 1 cm long, partly adnate to the spathe; interpistillar staminodes absent; interface between male and female zones occupied by a short (c. 1.5 mm) zone of staminodes resembling sterile stamens (i.e. not esembling the clavate interpistillar staminodes of related species); male zone obconic, c. 1 cm long x 5 mm wide at top; appendix bluntly conic, c. 1 cm long; appendical staminodes flat-topped. Fruiting spathe c. 2.5 cm long, subcylindric, asymmetric.