Schismatoglottis simonii S.Y.Wong

Leaf petioles terete, channelled slightly canaliculate adaxially in cross section, 13-40 cm long, strongly longitudinally ridged (like celery) especially abaxially at the base, very minutely (strong lens required) and densely verruculate, sheathing in the lower 1/3 - 1/2 with the wings tapering, and fully attached, marcescent, sometimes with a short rounded ligular portion; lamina broadly ovate to oblongo-ovate, sometimes elliptic, 12-30 cm long x 6-20 cm wide, coriaceous, adaxial surface semi-glossy deep green, always slightly bullate, abaxial surface paler green, glaucous, drying strongly discolourous, the base broadly rounded to sub-truncate, slightly retuse to cuneate, the apex acute and shortly acuminate to ca 1 cm, undulate along margin; midrib adaxially flush with the lamina but centrally channelled toward the leaf base, abaxially very prominent raised canaliculate; primary venation impressed adaxially, strongly raised abaxially, numerous, 16-25 on each side of the midrib, alternating with lesser interprimaries or these occasionally arising from the bases of the primary veins, diverging at 60^o-90^° and gradually curving towards the tip before reaching the intermarginal colllecting vein; secondary veins mostly arising from the midrib, occasionally from near the bases of the primary veins; tertiary venation forming tessellate reticulum adaxially and abaxially, more notable abaxially. Inflorescences up to three together, erect, white, fragrant (esterases) smell at female anthesis; subtended by lanceolate cataphylls to ca 6 cm long; peduncle to ca 2.5 cm long, concealed by leaf bases and cataphylls at flowering, slightly exserted in fruit; spathe, interior glossy, exterior semi-glossy, softly coriaceous, ca 9 cm long; lower spathe, ovoid, pale green when fresh and white in alcohol, ca 2.5 cm long × 1.5 cm diam., differentiated from the limb by a faint constriction coinciding with interstice; limb oblongo-lanceolate, white when fresh and in alcohol, ca 5.5 cm long, apex, green when fresh, mucronate for ca 5.8 mm, caducous by disintegrating or crumbling at or just after male anthesis; spadix sessile, adnate isodiametrically to the spathe in the lower 1/6 of female zone, subcylindric, ca 7 cm long subequalling the spathe; female zone ovoid, ivory when fresh and in alcohol, 1.8 cm long × 0.8 cm diam., 1/3 of spadix length; pistils numerous and close-packed, rhomboid to round from above, ca 1.19 mm long × 0.56 mm diam.; stigma sessile, punctiform, large, 0.20 mm diam., 1/3  of ovary, raised; interpistillar staminodes confined to more or less a single ring at the base of the female zone, irregularly polygonal from above, about the same size as the ovaries shorter than pistils; sterile insterstice present, supra pistillate pistillodes zone, white, ca 1.8 mm long, 1/14  of spadix length, strongly narrow in the upper half of pistillodes zone corresponding with the spathe constriction, pistillodes irregularly polygonal, large, ca 1 mm diam., twice the size of ovary, centrally impressed; sometimes naked zone present; followed by a whorl of incompletely abortive stamens, ca 2.6 mm long, staminodes, irregularly squat-columnar, flat-topped, 0.62 mm diam.; male zone contiguous with interstice staminodes, cylindric, 1.3 cm long × 4.2 mm diam., slightly less than 1/3 of spadix length; stamens close-packed, irregular dumbbell-shaped from above and neighbouring anthers with their lobes interdigitating, white when fresh and remaining white in alcohol, ca 0.6 mm diam., anthers truncate, connective broad and elevated, thecae large; pores oblong and shallow, rims widely alate; appendix cylindric, 2.6 cm long × 4.8 mm diam., slightly less than 1/3 of spadix length, white when fresh and in alcohol, abruptly widen at base, distally tapering to sharp point; staminodes of appendix densely packed, flat-topped to slightly centrally impressed, irregularly polygonal, ca 0.5-1 mm diam.