Stylochaeton kornasii Malaisse & Bamps

Perennial plant, erect, with flowers partly underground; tuberous rhizome, initially ± vertical then bent down, ca. 0.5 cm thick and reaching 5-6 cm long, with numerous fleshy roots (reaching 4 mm thick), and ± spindle shaped. LEAF: Petiole 1.5-4 cm long, sheathing on the peduncle for 4/5 its length; the superior part is flattened and 3 mm wide; leaf blade is elliptic, cordate at the base, obtuse and apiculate at the apex, 7.5-9 cm long and 4.5-5.5 cm wide, the midrib is strongly thickened for a good part of its length on the under side, the lateral veins strongly ascending and converging at the apex. Reticulation apparent on the underside. INFLORESCENCE1-2, appear at the same time as young leaves; cataphylls 2-3, surrounding the base of the peduncle, 2-3.5 cm long and 0.8-0.9 cm wide, with purple spots, and many orange punctations and incrustations (cystoliths?) of white lines. Peduncle 1.5-2.5 cm long and 2.5-3 mm thick. Spathe cone shaped, with a 1 cm long lateral slit at the apex and topped by a small apicule. Spadix with female flowers arranged in a basal verticil, 6 mm diameter and 5 mm high, topped by a sterile part of the axis for 3-4 mm, then male flowers in a ± cylindrical form, 22 mm high and 5 mm diameter. Male flowers numerous, the perigone is ovoid, 0.8 mm diameter and 1 mm tall, 3-6 lobes on the top, densely papillose on the outside, decorated with red crustations on the inside; stamens 3, anthers club shaped, 2.3 mm long, 0.7 mm wide, entirely papillose , 2 elliptic pores at the apex, filaments 1.2 mm long, glabrous; pistillode present in some flowers and absent in others. Flowers female 6, perigone ± pyriform and slightly angular, 2 mm diameter and 4 mm tall, densely papillose on the top 2/3 and decorated in reddish linear incrustations on the lower 1/3; ovary 6-ovulate; style lateral and oblique, 1.5 mm long, the end of the stigma is irregularly broad, 1.2-1.7 mm diameter. INFRUCTESCENCE unknown