Stylochaeton

Acaulescent, tufted herbs, with branched nodose rhizomes bearing many long swollen roots. Leaves 1-4 per shoot, deciduous; petiole sheathing at base, often mottled with purple; lamina simple, sagittate, hastate or cordate at base. Inflorescence appearing before or contemporary with leaves, borne on short peduncles at ground level. Spathe tubular with margins connate towards base, limb slightly expanded, deciduous. Spadix shorter than spathe; female flowers below, male flowers above, separated by an interstice bearing sterile flowers. Flowers with perianth segments fused, boat-shaped or cupular, truncate and swollen above. Male flowers many; stamens 2-7, exserted on long free filaments; anthers opening by lateral slits; ovary rudimentary. Female flowers either few, arranged in a basal circle or many, forming spirals; staminodes lacking; ovary 1- or 2-locular; ovules 1-several per locule on axial placentas; style long; stigma capitate to broadly discoid. Fruit a berry, 1-few-seeded. Seeds ovoid, tessellate; with copious endosperm. x= 14.