Rhodospatha
(from rhodon, a rose, and spatha, a spathe; alluding to the colour of the spathe in some species). ORD. Aroideae (Araceae). A genus comprising six or seven species of stove, climbing, tropical American shrubs, with rooting branches. Flowers all hermaphrodite, or the lower ones female; spathe boat-shaped, rostrate, deciduous; spadix shorter than the spathe, dense-flowered, cylindrical, elongate-stipitate. Leaves distichous, elliptic-oblong, acuminate, with numerous arcuate, parallel nerves; petioles about as long as the leaves, long-sheathed. The species introduced thrives in a compost of sandy loam and peat, and requires a moist atmosphere. Propagated by seeds, or by cuttings.
R. blanda (charming). fl., spathe greenish-ochre; spadix rather long-stalked, cylindroid, loosely attenuated towards the apex. l. oblong-elliptic, slightly obtuse at base, loosely arcuate and narrowed towards the apex, acute. Brazil, 1860.