Xanthosoma brasiliense (Desf.) Engl.

Plant up to 2 m tall in ancient individuals, but rarely reaching 1 m. Stems always hypogeous, rhizomatous, cylindrical, up to 6 cm in diameter, moderately covered by brown fibers, producing occasional globose-turbinate cormels. Leaves 3-4  per plant; petioles 45-95 cm long, green, sometimes tinged with purplish at base, never conspicuously waxy, sheathed up to 1/3 of its length, sheath convolute with purplish margins; leaf blade 19-33.5 x 21-39 cm, sub-hastate to hastate in young leaves, hastate to subpedate in adult plants, glossy green adaxially, clearer and matte abaxially, primary lateral veins 4-7 per side, arising at an angle of 40-45°, concolorous with blade at both sides, apex acuminate; basal ribs denuded for 2.5-6 cm, basal lobes strongly extrorse, obtuse to round at apex. Inflorescences 1-2 per axil, peduncle 20-25 x .5 cm; spathe 18-19 cm long, tube 5 x 2.5 cm, green outside, white inside, lamina 13-14 x 3 cm long, white in both sides; spadix 14-16 cm long, fertile male portion white 10 x 1-1.5 cm, acute at apex, sterile male portion 3.5 x 1.1 cm, white, weakly dimorphic, female portion 2-3 x 1 cm, pale yellow.