Rhizomatous, glabrous, epiphytic herb; stems and leaves succulent; stems to 1 cm or more thick when fresh, rooting at nodes; internodes 1-3 cm long. Petioles 5-10 cm long, stout, reddish at least at base; blades elliptic, lanceolate-elliptic to oblanceolate, acute to bluntly acuminate at apex, gradually tapered at base, 15-27 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, the veins on each side 5-7, pinnate, the midrib stout below, the margin weakly revolute. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 20-40 cm long, paniculate, the major axes of the inflorescences and peduncles reddish; peduncles 0.6-5 cm long; spikes 6-15 cm long, ca 3 mm thick, white at anthesis; bracts round; stigma centrally disposed on style. Fruits ellipsoid, ca 1 mm long. Croat 9015, Kenoyer 303. Apparently rare on BCI; usually occurring on rocks or trees near the ground. Flowers chiefly from the middle to late rainy season (August to December). The fruits apparently develop soon after flowering. Costa Rica and Panama; at elevations less than 800 m. In Panama, known from tropical moist forest in the Canal Zone (vicinity of Gatun Lake), Bocas del Toro, and eastern Panama. Collected from tropical wet forest on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.