Stenospermation escobariae
Usually terrestrial, sometimes hemiepiphytic; stem erect or appressed-climbing; internodes conspicuously transversely fissured, corky, gray, sometimes pale reddish brown, 1–3 x 0.5–1.50 cm, slightly longer than broad, drying gray, corky; roots 1 to 2 or none per node at upper nodes, drying gray; cataphylls 13.5–18 cm, long-tapered at apex, promptly deciduous. LEAVES erect; petioles stiff, 13.5–23 cm, dark green; sheath 9–17.5 cm, 0.4–0.8 times as long as petiole, dark green with pale brown scarious margins, gradually tapered at apex, drying dark brown with longitudinal wrinkles and pale scarious margins; blades elliptic to oblanceolate, subcoriaceous, longacuminate at apex (acumen downturned and apiculate), attenuate to cuneate at base, 16–28(35.5) x 3–7.5(9.5) cm, (3.3)3.8–5.3 times longer than wide, 0.9–1.8 times longer than petiole, broadest at middle or more often beyond middle, upper surface glossy to semiglossy, dark green, drying dull, dark olive-brown, lower surface semiglossy, paler, drying glossy, medium brown; midrib narrowly sunken, concolorous above, narrow-raised and paler than blade below, drying concolorous with blade on both sides or sometimes paler below; primary lateral veins moderately obscure, but slightly puckering the blade, drying obscure or slightly raised below, departing midrib at 40o–50o angles; minor veins obscure. INFLORESCENCE 1 per axil, arching; peduncle 7–22 cm, cernuous, not fully erect at anthesis, equal to or longer than petiole; spathe 14–22 cm, long-tapered, light green becoming white, promptly deciduous at anthesis; spadix stipitate to 8 mm, cylindrical, 10+ cm long (all specimens broken off at some point along their length), 6–8 mm diam. (dry), yellowish green, becoming yellow at anthesis. Flowers hexagonal, stylar surface papillose; stigma oblong or linear, drying 0.8–1 mm, brown; stamens with filaments 1.2–1.4 mm; thecae oblong. INFRUCTESCENCE to 15 cm long, drying 1 cm wide; berries bluish green, matte; seeds 1.5–2 mm.
Conservation status for Stenospermation escobariae must be considered as LC (Least Concern) according to IUCN criteria (IUCN, 2001), because it is known from many collections and has been found in four Departments in Colombia and in Ecuador.
Planta terrestris, interdum hemiepiphytica; internodia suberosa, 1–3 cm longa, 5–15 mm diam., pallide rubrobrunnea; cataphylla 13.5–18 cm longa, decidua; petiolus 13.5–23 cm longus, rigidus, vaginatus usque ad medium, marginibus vaginae scariosis; lamina elliptica usque oblanceolata, longe acuminata apiculataque, 16–28(35.5) cm longa, 3–7.5(9.5) cm lata; inflorescentia 1; pedunculus 7–22 cm longus, cernuus; spatha 14–22 cm longa, alboviridis vel alba; spadix usque 8 mm stipitatus, flavovirens vel flavus; stigma oblongum vel lineare, 0.8–1 mm longum; infructescentia veneta.
The species ranges along the Pacific Andean slopes of Colombia in the Departments of Antioquia, Choco´ , Narino, and Valle to the Carchi Province of Ecuador in Tropical rainforest (T-rf) and Tropical rainforest transition to Premontane (T-rf/P), from near sea level to 1850 m. It has been collected from primary rainforest, regrowth forest, and forested stream banks.