Xanthosoma pentaphyllum (Schott) Engl.

Seasonally dormant geophytes. Stem tuberous, 1.5-2 X 1.5-3 cm, with abundant ovoid cormels. Petioles 30-48 x 0.6-1 cm, glabrous, sheath 10-12 cm long, equaling up to 1/3 of the petiole length. Leaf blade 2-3, pedatilobed, 20-21 x 20-25 cm, lobes 3-7, central lobe 12-23 x 11-17 cm, 1.2-1.8 times longer than wide, ovate to wide-elliptic, base cuneate to obtuse, apex acuminate, secondary nerves 5-8 per side, arising at an angle of 30-50°, converging in a collective vein imprecisely outlined, lateral lobes equaling 70-80% the length of the central lobe, 10-18 x 3.5-11 cm, ovate, oblique. Inflorescence solitary. Peduncles 10-19 X 0.2-0.4 cm. Spathe green outside, white with a purplish base inside, 11-12 cm long, tube 2.5-4 x 1.5-3 cm, blade 8.5-9 x 4-5 cm. Spadix 6-10 cm long, fertile male portion 3.5-5.5 x 0.5-0.9 cm, sterile male portion 2.2-3.5 x 0.3-0.8 cm, female portion 1.3-1.5 x 0.5-0.7 cm. Synandria 3-6-androus, prismatic, 2 x 4 mm, staminodes irregularly flattened, gynoecium prismatic, ca. 2 x 2 mm, discoid style, stigma pale yellow. Spathe tube persisting in fruiting spadix. Berries 3-4 x 2-3 mm, white to greenish. Seeds ovoid, ca. 1.5 x 1 mm. Figure 17.