2n = 70

n = 35

Robust tufted plants occurring singly or in colonies. Stem 2–4–6 cm. diam. Lvs 50–200–(250) × 4–12 cm., stiff, drooping only at the tip of very large plants, strongly keeled above sheath but not tightly folded, broad almost to tip; sheath to 2 × lamina-width, with white scales on both surfaces; lamina adaxially green (the scales falling early), the one strong costa on each side of midrib us. white; abaxial surface paler with thin, mostly persistent cover of fine scales and costae hardly prominent (at least in fresh lf) and little broader than midrib. Infl. erect, broad, sparsely scaly; peduncle stout, about = panicle; lower spathes long or short, mostly rather abruptly narrowed to tip; racemes ∞, all except the smallest spathes subtending sub-infls of 2–3 or more racemes. Fls pedicellate and us. well spaced; ♂ reddish green, tepals to 7 × 3 mm., spreading then drooping about pedicel, the outer ones scaly externally; ♀ dark green, tepals much smaller than in ♂, tube closely appressed to above middle of green ovary, the dull reddish tips recurved. Ovary 3-locular; style thick, ill-defined. Fr. to 9 × 9 mm., subglobose, orange ± flecked or blotched with red; matured per. fleshy, orange, ± split between shrivelled remnants of tepals, ± spreading from base of berry. 2n = 140.

Robust tufted plants occurring singly or in colonies. Stem 2–4–(6) cm. diam. Lvs 50–200–(250) × 2.5–7.5 cm., stiffly ascending in lower half, less rigid in tapering upper part, strongly keeled above sheath but not tightly folded; tip narrowly attenuate; sheath to 2 × lamina-width, white with close scales; lamina adaxially green, glab. (the scales falling early), one very strong costa on each side of midrib sts reddish; abaxial surface with fine, inconspicuous, ± caducous scales and costae very prominent and much broader than midrib. Infl. erect, broad, for the most part glab.; peduncle stout, about = panicle; lower spathes long and narrowly attenuate; racemes 15–30–(50), all except the smallest spathes subtending sub-infls of 2–3 or more racemes, with second order branching occ. in the lowermost. Fls pedicellate and us. well spaced; ♂ greenish fawn, tepals c. 5 × 2 mm., spreading then drooping about pedicel; ♀ dark green, almost glab., tepals c. 3 × 2.5 mm., the tube closely appressed to about middle of shining green ovary, the dull reddish tips recurved. Ovary 3-locular; style thick, ill-defined. Fr. 4–9 × 4–9 mm., subglobose, orange ± flecked with red; matured per. fleshy, orange, ± split between shrivelled remnants of tepals, us. spreading widely from base of berry. 2n = 70.