Dioec. Infl. a terminal panicle, sts much reduced, on a lfless simple peduncle; spathes often large and foliaceous, each subtending a simple raceme (occ. represented by a single fl.) or a branched sub-infl. of 2–5 or more racemes; bracteoles membr., us. adnate to short pedicels; fls small, us. ∞, ♂ us. larger than ♀. Per. membr. to fleshy, tube very short to well developed, lobes triangular to strap-shaped. Stamens in ♂ < tepals, anthers dorsifixed, mobile; in ♀ minute with flat empty anthers. Ovary superior, 1- or 3-locular; placentae parietal or axile and almost apical; ovules few to many, smaller in ♂ but us. identifiable; style short and thick; stigmatic surfaces 3, well separated or confluent; nectaries 3, slit-like, below and between the stigmatic surfaces. Fr. a berry. Seeds black, ± glossy, sts associated with funicular hairs but not coated by them. Tufted herbs, epiphytic or terrestrial, characterised by peculiar indumentum of scales. Stems short, us. hidden. Lvs 3-ranked, linear to ensiform, us. keeled; sheath broad, closed; nerves ∞, variously incrassate. About 25 spp., mostly in and around the Pacific, represented also in Falkland Is, Réunion and Mauritius; the 13 N.Z. spp. endemic. nom. cons.: type sp., of Tasmania.

Dioec. Infl. a terminal panicle on a lfless simple peduncle; spathes large and foliaceous, each us. subtending a simple raceme; racemes few, often ± uniform in size, and well-spaced; bracteoles membr., us. small; fls small, us. ∞, crowded, ♂ much larger than ♀. Per. membr., tube deeply campanulate to urceolate, lobes narrow, strongly reflexed. Stamens in ♂ conspicuous; anther linear-hastate, dorsifixed, immobile; in ♀ minute with flat, empty anthers. Ovary superior, 3-locular; placentae on the septa; ovules few to many, smaller in ♂ but us. identifiable, ± embedded in mucilaginous funicular hairs; style short and thick; stigmatic surfaces 3, ± confluent, long-papillose; nectaries 3, slit-like. Fr. a berry. Seeds black, the surface us. dull and ridged and ± coated with funicular hairs. Tufted herbs, primarily epiphytic or rupestral, characterised by peculiar indumentum of scales. Stem short, us. hidden. Lvs 3-ranked but sts appearing distichous, linear-ensiform, expanding below into broad, closed, often blackish sheathing base; midrib stout, sunken above, prominent below; nerves ∞, us. one costa on each side of midrib strongly incrassate, especially adaxially; transverse veinlets distinct, especially in sheath. Four spp., one in Samoa, one in Fiji and 2 endemic in N.Z.