Perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 1 m, floral bracts white with green margins. Leaves ovate-elliptic, undulate, 11-17 long, 4-7 cm wide, leaf stalks long, channelled, faint-spotted below, leaf apex acuminate, base tapering, membranous, undulating, 6-8 vein pairs, mid-green with a central white to cream area, shiny below. Flowers pale bluish-purple, anthers purple; summer.
Japan, known only in cultivation.
var. albomarginata Maek. Inflorescence to 1 m. Leaves ovate-elliptic, flat, 11-17 cm long, 4-7 cm wide, wavy-edged, apex rounded, 9 or more vein pairs, dark green, margins creamy-white Syn. H. 'Thomas Hogg'.
var. erromena (Stearn) Maek. Inflorescence to 1.5 m, leaves lanceolate-elliptic, to 23 cm long, 13 cm wide, wavy-edged, apex acuminate, 8-9 vein pairs, midgreen.
var. univittata (Miq.) Hylander Leaves relatively large, twisted, with a central cream blotch, the margins less wavy.
H. cathyana Maek.,Akikaze-gibo-shi from Japan is a perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 75 cm, floral bracts bright green. Leaves ovate, to 10 x 4 cm, undulate, leaf stalks not spotted, apex tapering, not twisted, base blunt, 6-8 vein pairs, dark green, shiny, paler beneath. Flowers lavender; late summer.
H. lancifolia (Thunb.) Engl., Garden Origin, is a perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 45 cm, floral bracts shiny green. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, 10-17 x 5-9 cm, leaf stalks long, channelled, purple spotted, apex and base tapering, 5-6 vein pairs, shiny dark green, paler beneath. Flowers bluish-purple; anthers bluish purple; summer-autumn.
H. minor (Baker) Nakai, Kirin-gibo-shi from Japan and Korea is a perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 60 cm, floral bracts green and purple. Leaves broadly ovate to heart-shaped, 10-17 cm long, 5-9 cm wide, leaf stalks long, channelled, purple spotted, apex and base tapering, 5-6 vein pairs, dark green, shiny. Flowers mauve to bluish-purple; summer-autumn.
H. rectifolia Nakai, Tachi-gibo-shi from Japan is a perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 60 cm, floral bracts green. Leaves erect, ovate-elliptic, 15-25 cm long, 5-12 cm wide, leaf stalks long, channelled, winged, unspotted, leaf apex acuminate, base tapering, 6-9 vein pairs, dull midgreen. Flowers violet, anthers yellow; late summer. Syn. H. longipes (Franch. &Sav.) Bailey.
Source: (2005). Hostaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
