Rapateaceae
A small natural order of perennial, usually tall, marsh, monocotyledonous herbs with short, thick rhizomes; they are found in Brazil or Guiana, extending a little way into Venezuela. Flowers hermaphrodite, regular, generally in dense, terminal heads, sessile or pedicellate, with many imbricate bracts, perianth inferior, six-parted, three outer leaflets caly cine, three inner petaloid; stamens six, erect; ovary superior, sessile, included in the corolla tube; scapes erect. Capsules membranous or coriaceous, sessile. Leaves radical, broadly linear-lanceolate or oblong, often long, acuminate, petiolate or sessile in a sheath. The order comprises six genera, and about a score species, none of which are of much use or very ornamental. Examples: Rapatea, Saxofridericia, and Spatanthus.