Rhizome 0.5–1.5 cm thick. Leaves 2 to several, glabrous; petiole 5–40 cm long, lower part mottled with purple; basal sheath up to half total petiole-length; blade very variable in shape, up to 30 x 12 cm, sagittate to hastate at the base, often lobed with midlobe lanceolate to linear, 10–30 x 0.5–6 cm, acute, side-lobes usually shorter, 0.3–3 cm wide. Inflorescence usually present as leaves emerge, at or near ground level; peduncle 1–6 cm long. Spathe greenish, purplish or brownish, 3.5–15 x 0.5–1.5 cm, cylindric; apex erect, acuminate, with oblique opening. Spadix hidden or slightly protruding from the mouth of the spathe; male part separated from 0.4–1 cm long female part by a 0.2–1.2 cm wide sterile zone. Male flowers with 2–4 stamens, filaments ± thickened towards the apex; perianth with unlobed to dentate margin. Female flowers 5–10 in 1–2 whorls; ovules c. 20. Seeds several, c. 2.5–3.5 mm long, sulcate.