Rhopalocnemis phalloides Nov. Acta Phys.-Med. Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 18 (Suppl. 1): 215. 1841; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 239. 1886. Phaeocordylis areolata Griff. in Proc. Linn. Soc., London 1: 219 - 220. 1844 & Trans. Linn. Soc., London 20: 100, t. 8. 1846.

Plants yellowish with brownish heads, (3 -) 5 - 12 (- 15) cm high; tubers 6 – 13 x 6 – 20 cm, hard and strongly irregularly corrugate on surface; basal sheath around stem 1 - 5 cm long, irregularly lobed. Stem below spadix cylindric, 2 - 8 x 2 - 5 cm, without or with spirally arranged slightly recurved warty scales. Spadices elongate-oblong, 7 - 20 x 3 - 7 cm; bract-scales peltate, 4 - 5 mm across at top part, central part often developing a recurved tubercle resembling the scales on lower part of stem. Male flowers: sessile, surrounded by numerous supporting nectariferous hairs; bisexual plants always with male flowers in lower part; staminal column exserted, 8 - 10 mm long. Female flowers: mostly minute; styles bent down beneath the bracts, projecting as minute hairs when released.

Fl. & Fr. July - Sept.

Distrib. India: Humid forests of mountains, 1000 - 2500 m. Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

Nepal, Bhutan, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malesia.