For the scarab beetle genus, see Podolasia (beetle).

Podolasia is a monotypic genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of flowering plants in the Araceae

Araceae

Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like bract. Also known as the Arum family, members are often colloquially...

 family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

. The single species that is contained within the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 is Podolasia stipitata. This species has vegetative features that are similar to the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Lasia

Lasia

Lasia is a genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family. The genus contains only two species both of which are native to Asia, Lasia spinosa and Lasia concinna. Lasia was believed to be a monotypic genus until 1997 when a wild population of Lasia concinna was discovered in a farmer's paddy field...

and has floral features similar to the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Cyrtosperma

Cyrtosperma

Cyrtosperma is a genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family that consists of approximately 12 species. The genus had gone through considerable taxonomic changes in the 1980s, and as a result is now considered to be endemic to only Asia and some Pacific islands...

. Podolasia stipitata is endemic to the Malay Archipelago

Malay Archipelago

The Malay Archipelago refers to the archipelago between mainland Southeastern Asia and Australia. The name was derived from the anachronistic concept of a Malay race....

. It has leathery leaves that can vary from being hastate to sagittate. The inflorescence

Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...

is white when first produced but begin to turn purple from the top down as male anthesis begins. The fruit produced is large and red.