The species have large, attractive foliage, and horticulturists have turned it into a large-flowered and bright garden plant. The plants are large tropical and subtropical perennial herbs with a rhizomatous rootstock. The broad, flat, alternate leaves that are such a feature of this plant, grow out of a stem in a long, narrow roll and then unfurl. The leaves are typically solid green, but some cultivars have glaucose, brownish, maroon, or even variegated leaves. The flowers are composed of three sepals and three petals that are seldom noticed by people, they are small and hidden under extravagant stamens. What appear to be petals are the highly modified stamens or staminodes. The staminodes number (1-) 3 (-4) (with at least one staminodal member called the labellum, always being present. A specialized staminode, the stamen, bears pollen from a half-anther. A somewhat narrower 'petal' is the pistil which is connected down to a three-chambered ovary.

• flowers
• The leaves are typically solid green
• but some cultivars have glaucose
• brownish, maroon, or even variegated leaves.
• Worldwide

flowers