Short-rhizomed, branched, woody shrub to about 3 m. Leaves up to 80 cm long, numerous, with a distinctive long stalk making the blade appear paddle-like. Inflorescence a branched panicle. Flowers numerous, stalks 2 mm long; late spring. Tepals to 12 mm long, reddish-pink, fused basally. Fruit red, to 10 mm wide. Syn. C. terminalis (L.) Kunth.

Himalayas, SE Asia to Australia and the Pacific.

Highly variable with numerous cultivars having different leaf colours and shapes.

C. manners-suttoniae F. Muell. from Qld is a short-rhizomatous, branched, woody shrub to about 4 m. Leaves up to 65 cm long, numerous, long stalked, leaf stalk grooved. Inflorescence a branched panicle. Flowers numerous, stalks 7-12 mm long; late spring.Tepals to 12 mm long, pink-purple, fused basally. Fruit red, to 15 mm wide.

C. murchisoniae F. Muell. from Qld is a short-rhizomed, few-branched, woody shrub to less than 1 m. Leaves up to 15 cm long, numerous, broad, long-stalked, leaf stalk grooved. Inflorescence a branched panicle. Flowers numerous, stalks 3-5 mm long; late spring.Tepals to 9 mm long, pink-purple, fused basally. Fruit red, to 10 mm wide. Syn. C. haageana K. Koch.

C. rubra Kunth from Qld is a short-rhizomed, branched, woody shrub to about 5 m. Leaves up to 40 cm long, numerous, narrowly long-stalked, leaf stalk broad, shallow, curved. Inflorescence a branched panicle. Flowers numerous, stalks 1.5-2.5 mm long; late spring. Tepals to 10 mm long, bluish-purple, fused basally, inner 3 longer. Fruit black, to 15 mm wide.

Source: Conran, J. (2005). Laxmanniaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.