Remusatia vivipara (Roxb.) Schott

Schott, H.W. & Endlicher, S.F.L. in Schott, H.W. & Endlicher, S.L. (1832) Meletemata Botanica 1: 18.

Hitchhiker Elephant Ear

Lithophytic or epiphytic, seasonaly dormant, up to 50 cm tall with a small tuber 2-4 cm diam. Shoots few, erect and unbranched 10-30 cm tall bearing spaced clusters of bulbils, spike-like; bulbils 2-5 mm long, with scales having hooked tips.

Leaves broadly ovate, usually solitary but sometimes 2, cordate with rounded lobes at base, obtuse and shortly acuminate, distinctly peltate; lamina ca. 20 cm long with a 15-25 cm long petiole, erect.

Spathe 7-11 cm long; tube ovoid, 2-4 cm long and strongly constricted above; blade subcircular, 6-8 cm long, cream coloured, reflexed. Spadix 3-4.5 cm long; basal female region ca. 2 cm long; middle sterile region ca. 1-1.1 cm long and the upper male region 1-1.2 cm long, club-shaped, without sterile tip.

Fruit unknown. The bulbils appear on spike-like shoots which may seem fruit-like.

Features not available.

Known from a few locations in NT, CYP and NEQ. Usually occurs in primary or secondary rainforest on rocks or trees, or as a terrestrial. Altitudinal range recorded from 50 to 400 m.

Vegetative propagation by bulbils produced on shoots is very common, fruiting is very rare.