Epiphytic or terrestrial; stem usually very short, 6-25 cm long, 1.5-3 cm diam.; roots dense, 1.5-5 mm thick, descending; cataphylls subcoriaceous, 8-23 cm long, cordate-acuminate at apex, drying brown (B & K Red 9/2.5), persisting, weathering into fibers.

LEAVES held nearly erect; petioles 9-25 (40) cm long, 5-9 mm diam., flattened laterally, sulcate with sharp margins, acute to rounded abaxially; geniculum 1-1.6 cm long; blades elliptic to oblong-elliptic or oblong, gradually acuminate at apex (the acumen down-turned), acute to obtuse at base, 8-54 cm long, 5.5-22 cm wide, broadest at the middle or slightly below the middle, the margin ± flat, continuous with margins of the petiole; both surfaces matte to semiglossy; midrib convexly raised and diminished toward apex above, acutely raised below; basal veins consisting only of the lowest pair of primary lateral veins; primary lateral veins 6-15 per side, sunken above, prominulous below; interprimary veins weakly sunken above, prominulous below; collective vein moderately straight, prominent, continuous, arising from the second pair of primary lateral veins, sunken above, prominently raised below, 5-9 mm from the margin.

INFLORESCENCE pendent or arching-pendent, usually shorter than the leaves: peduncle 30-58 cm long, 3-5 mm diam., much longer than petioles, prominently 4- or 5-ribbed especially near the base, irregularly striate toward apex with one prominent sharp rib arising from beneath the spathe; spathe coriaceous, medium green (B & K Yellow-green 7/10), oblong-lanceolate to oblong, 3-15 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, broadest in lower third, inserted at 45° angle on peduncle; stipe 0.8-3.5 cm long; spadix yellow-green (B & K Yellow-green 6/7.5), (4.5) 8.5-20 cm long, 6-10 mm diam. at base, 4-6 mm diam. at apex; flowers rhombic, 3-4.2 mm long, 2.8-4.3 mm wide, the sides straight to jaggedly sigmoid; (4)7-11 flowers visible in the principal spiral, 5-7 flowers visible in the alternate spiral; tepals green, semiglossy, sometimes with scattered nectar droplets; lateral tepals 2-2.7 mm wide, the inner margin ± straight, somewhat turned up against pistil; pistils exserted 0.5 mm, pointed before maturity, the exserted portion broadly ovoid; stigma linear, 0.4-0.6 mm long, exserted, brushlike, with conspicuous droplets for about 10 days, becoming dry and brown, about 1 week before first stamens emerge, dry and exserted when stamens emerge; the lateral stamens emerging rapidly from the base, open in basal three-quarters before the first alternates begin to emerge at the base, sometimes emerging in a more scattered fashion, held in a close circle around pistil; anthers white, 0.5-0.6(0.8) mm long, 0.4-1 mm wide; thecae elliptical, opening flat, moderately divaricate; pollen white.

INFRUCTESCENCE becoming pendent; the spathe light green; the spadix 5-20 cm long, 2-3 cm diam.; berries obovoid to ovoid or pyramidal, pointed at apex, glossy, dark purple to violet-purple, 7-12 mm long when dry, paler violet-purple in lower third; mesocarp gelatinous; seeds 2, flattened, ca. 5 mm long, 4 mm wide, 3 mm thick. Fig. 106.

The species is known from Costa Rica and Panama on both slopes at altitudes from 400 to 1,400 m, mostly in premontane wet and tropical wet forest. Anthurium michelii is distinctive for its creamy green or whitish underleaf surface and bright purple berries. Also characteristic are the oblong-elliptic leaves, broadly and sharply sulcate petiole, and the frequently conspicuously stipitate spadix. The species is a somewhat atypical member of section Pachyneurium, and appears to be unrelated to any other species in the section. The type specimen of A. michelii, not studied until recently, is aberrant and unusually small for the species and, despite the fact that it bears little resemblance to the type of A. amethystinum, the two are now known to represent the same species.

Map of Mesoamerican specimens with coordinates

Costa Rica : 900 m, 10.20N 84.43W, 5 Oct 1986, William A. Haber ex Eric Bello C. 5918 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 740 m, 10.5.30N 84.10.30W, 3 July 1985, Michael Grayum & Barry Hammel 5519 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 1140-1190 m, 10.10.00N 84.29.30W, 3 Feb 1986, M. H. Grayum, A. Carvajal, J. Dickie, A. R. Smith & T. Béliz 6356 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 700 m, 10.49N 84.57W, 13 November 1987, Gerardo Herrera 1251 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 700 m, 10.49N 84.57W, 21 April 1988, Gerardo Herrera 1851 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 700 m, 10.43.15N 85.00.20W, 6 July 1988, Gerardo Herrera 1997 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 1400 m, 10.21N 84.47W, 11 June 1987, William Haber & Erick Bello 7231 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 800 m, 10.19N 84.43W, 14 December 1987, William Haber & Erick Bello 7898 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 900 m, 10.18N 84.44W, 13 July 1988, Erick Bello 167 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 1050-1100 m, 10.11N 84.30W, 24 April 1983, Ronald Liesner & Emmet Judziewicz 14745 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 500 m, 10.22N 084.24W, May 1968, Burger & Stolze 4994 (MO).
Costa Rica Alajuela: 450 m, 10.45N 085.03W, Nov. 1975, Burger & Baker 9862 (MO).
Costa Rica Cartago: 1200-1300 m,, 30 June 1976, Thomas B. Croat 36601 (MO).
Costa Rica Cartago: 1200 - 1400 m,, 1 July 1976, Croat 36743 (MO).
Costa Rica Cartago: 1400 - 1600 m,, 1983, Chacon 291 (MO).
Costa Rica Guanacaste: 1300 m, 10.22N 84.51W, 4 September 1988, William Haber & Willow Zuchowski 8685 (MO).
Costa Rica Guanacaste: Cordillera de Tilarán, 1100-1200 m, 10.18.40N 84.50.02W, 5 December 1991, Erick Bello & E. Cruz 4282 (CR).
Costa Rica Guanacaste: Z.P. Tenorio; Cordillera de Tilarán, 1050 m, 10.36.40N 84.59.45W, 10 May 1994, Gladys Rodriguez 29 (CR).
Costa Rica Heredia: 1100-1150 m, 10.16.30N 84.05.00W, 12/11/1986, Michael Grayum & Gerardo Herrera 7815 (MO).
Costa Rica Lim—n: 140 m, 9.42N 83.02W, 02 Aug 1985, B. Hammel & M. Grayum 14349 (MO).
Costa Rica Lim—n: Cordillera de Talamanca, 1200-1300 m, 09.45N 83.19W, 16 Aug 1995, Grayum 11011 (CR, INB, MO).
Costa Rica Puntarenas: Río Madrigal, 600 m, 08.29.50N 83.28.55W, 1 Dec 1990, Herrera 4681 (MO, CR).
Costa Rica Puntarenas: 1200 m, 8.49N 82.58W, 6-7 March 1984, Thomas B. Croat 57248 (MO).
Costa Rica Puntarenas: 800 m, 10.19N 84.43W, 18 March 1989, William Haber 9186 (MO).
Costa Rica Puntarenas: Fila Costeña, 900 m, 08.49.02N 83.11.25W, 7 December 1993, Barry Hammel, Reinaldo Aguilar & Mike Grayum 19204 (CR, MO).
Costa Rica Puntarenas: Fila Costeña, 800-950 m, 08.49.24N 83.11.48W, 9 December 1993, Michael Grayum, B. Hammel, R. Aguilar & J. Gómez 10636 (CR, MO).
Costa Rica San José:, , Burger & Baker 10106 (MO).
Costa Rica San José: 400-1500 m, 10.05N 84.58W, 28 Jul 1985, B. Hammel & J. Trainer 14273 (MO).
Costa Rica San José: 900 m,, 22 May 1976, Croat 35323 (MO). Costa Rica San José: 1000 m,, 22 May 1976, Croat 35259 (MO).
Panama : 1450-1480 m, 8.35N 81.50W, 7 July 1988, Thomas B. Croat 69139 (MO).
Panama Bocas del Toro: 700 m, 8.45N 82.15W, 10 March 1985, T.B. Croat & M.H. Grayum 60252 (MO).
Panama Bocas del Toro: 650-700 m, 08.45N 82.15W, 29 June 1987, Gordon McPherson 11117 (MO).
Panama Bocas del Toro: 650 m, 8.45N 82.15W, 25 Oct. 1985, Gordon McPherson 7339 (MO).
Panama Bocas del Toro: 1100-1750 m, 8.35N 81.54W, 27-31 Mar 1986, Barry Hammel & J. Trainer 14928 (MO).
Panama Chiriquí: 1100-1135 m, 8.43N 82.17W, 8 March 1985, T.B. Croat & M.H. Grayum 60079 (CM, MO).
Panama Chiriquí: 1475-1485 m, 08.30N 81.46W, 30 March 1993, Thomas B. Croat 75003 (MO).
Panama CoclŽ: Rivera Sawmill,, , Folsom 3196 (MO).
Panama CoclŽ: 89.39N 80.36W, 23 June 1988, Thomas B. Croat 68809 (MO).
Panama CoclŽ: Continental Divide, 850 m, 8.38.00N 80.35.00W, 7 Apr 1988, Thompson 4716 (CM,MO).
Panama Col—n: Ca. 5-8 km SW of Cerro Bruja, 700-800 m, 09.27N 079.36W, 2 May 1981, K. Sytsma, L.Andersson & R.Dressler 4298 (MO).
Panama Col—n: 9-12 miles E of Trans-Isthmanian Hwy. on, 500-550 m, 09.20N 079.45W, 17 April 1988, Sue Thompson 4870 (MO).
Panama Col—n: Santa Rita E of Agua Clara rain guage,, 4 March 1973, Helen Kennedy 2737 (MO).
Panama Col—n: Santa Rita Ridge road, 450 m,, 14 Mar 1975, S. Mori & J. Kallunki 5054 (MO).
Panama Darien: 550-760 m, 7.57N 77.46W, 28 June 1988, Thomas B. Croat 68897 (MO).
Panama Darien: 1250-1500 m, 7.45N 77.40W, 3 March 1988, Gordon McPherson 12199 (MO).
Panama Darien: Cuasi-Cana Trail,, 1 May 1968, J.H.Kirkbride, Jr. & J.A.Duke 1351 (MO).
Panama Panamá: 600 m, 8.55N 78.20W, 18 September 1982, Clem Hamilton & W. D'Arcy 1395 (MO).
Panama Panamá: 800-850 m, 9.20N 79.15W, 20 Nov. 1985, Gordon McPherson 7560 (MO).
Panama Panamá: 450 m, 09.18N 79.59W, 3 April 1993, Thomas B. Croat 75140 (MEXU, MO, WU).
Panama Panamá: El Llano-Carti Rd.,, 4 Oct 1974, S. Mori & J. Kallunki 2286 (MO).
Panama Panamá: El Llano-Carti Rd., 410 m,, 31 Oct 1974, S. Mori & J. Kallunki 2905 (MO).
Panama Panamá: 14 km above Pan-Am Hwy, 200-500 m,, 20 Feb 1973, Helen Kennedy 2495 (MO).
Panama Panamá: 12 mi above Pan-Am Hwy, 200-500 m,, 26 March 1973, R.L.Liesner 1123 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 550 m, 9.44N 78.68W, 14 March 1985, Thomas B. Croat 60486 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 550 m, 9.44N 78.68W, 14 March 1985, Thomas B. Croat 60494 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 300-350 m, 9.15N 79.00W, 12 July 1988, Thomas B. Croat 69259 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 50-140 m, 8.40N 77.25W, 24 March 1985, Gordon McPherson 6962 (MO).
Panama San Blas: Continental Divide, 400 m, 9.20N 78.56W, 23 July 1986, McDonagh, Lewis, Gumpel & Plumptre 350 (BM).
Panama San Blas: 400-500 m, 9.20N 79.08W, 5 Feb. 1986, Greg de Nevers & H. Herrera 7004 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 350 m, 9.19N 78.55W, 27 Sept. 1984, Greg de Nevers, H. Herrera & B. González 3928 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 350 m, 9.19N 78.55W, 3 Dec. 1984, Greg de Nevers, S. Charnley & H. Herrera 4409 (MO)
. Panama San Blas: 300 m, 9.19N 78.55W, 30 Oct. 1984, Greg de Nevers 4125 (MO).
Panama San Blas:, 3 April 1986, Greg de Nevers, H. Herrera & S. Charnely 7634 (MO).
Panama San Blas: 350 m, 9.19N 78.55W, 8 March 1986, Greg de Nevers & Heraclio Herrera 7287 (MO).
Panama Veraguas: 700 m, 8.33N 81.08W, 28 June 1987, Thomas B. Croat 66929 (MO).

Map of South American Specimens with coordinates

Colombia Amazonas: Amacayacu, 120 m, 03.42S 70.15W, 21 marzo 1992, A. Rudas, D. Giraldo, D. Tuberguias y F. Uribe 3441 (MO).
Colombia Amazonas: Amacayacu, 200-220 m, 03.47S 70.15W, 15 November 1991, J. Pipoly with 16183 (MO).
Colombia Antioquia: Río Cuevas, 1000 m,, 13 Apr. 1993, Sanchez et al. 1133 (MEDEL).
Colombia Antioquia: 150 m,, , Hodge 7080 (US).
Colombia Antioquia: Río Anori, 07.18N 75.04W, , Alverson et al. 402 (WIS).
Colombia Antioquia: Río Chontadural,, 28 July 1978, Fonnegra & Renteria 947 (HUA).
Colombia Choco: 150 m, 5.30N 76.46W, 18 April 1983, Thomas B. Croat 56158 (MO).
Colombia Narino: Reserva Natural Río Nambi, 1325 m, 01.18N 078.08W, 9 Dec. 1993, Franco, P. et al. 5086 (COL).
Ecuador Ecuador: 1500-1600 m,, , Solis 7507 (F).
Ecuador Esmeraldas: Reserva Ethnica Awa, 250 m, 0.52N 78.26W, 22 Mar 1993, Carlos Aulestia & M. Aulestia 1344 (CAS, MO, QCNE).
Ecuador Esmeraldas: Reserva Etnica Awá, 250 m, 01.02N 78.26W, 16 Mar 1991 - 26 Mar 1991, Daniel Rubio, Carlos Quelal & Cleto Pai 1100 (MO).
Ecuador Esmeraldas:, 22 January 1996, Thomas B. Croat 78280 (MO).
Ecuador Los Ríos: 00.36S 79.18W, , Iltis E-84 (WIS).
Ecuador Morona-Santiago:, , Thomas B. Croat 75466 (MO).
Ecuador Morona-Santiago: 1300-1600 m, 02.38S 78.27W, 21 abril 1991, Carlos Cerón 14371 (QCNE, MO).
Ecuador Napo: 350 m, 00.02S 76.42W, 29 Dec 1987 - 31 Dec 1987, Carlos E. Cerón M. & Miguel Cerón 3124 (MO!).
Ecuador Napo: 280 m, 0.5 N 76.50W, 26 Apr 1984, Thomas B. Croat 58510 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 270 m, 0.02N 76.51W, 28 Apr 1984, Thomas B. Croat 58666 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 1130 m, 0.48S 77.30W, 02 Mar 1992, Thomas B. Croat 72648 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: Sumaco, 450 m, 00.43S 77.20W, 24 Nov 1989, Fernando Hurtado 2664 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 500 m, 00.45S 77.29W, 11 Jan 1989, Palacios et al. 3547 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: Jatun Sacha, 450 m, 01.08S 77.30W, 24 Aug 1988 - 27 Aug 1988, Walter Palacios 2700 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 650 m, 00.08S 77.27W, 16 Sep 1990 - 20 Sep 1990, Walter Palacios 5763 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 1800-1900 m, 00.12S 77.39W, 07 Sep 1990 - 10 Sep 1990, Walter Palacios 5356 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 1800-1900 m, 00.12S 77.39W, 07 Sep 1990 - 10 Sep 1990, Walter Palacios 5440 (MO).
Ecuador Napo:, , Harling & Strom 7171 (GB).
Ecuador Napo: Sumaco, 1100 m, 00.43S 77.34W, 06 Oct 1989, Walter Palacios & C. Iguago 4626 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 250 m, 00.20S 77.05W, 3-21 Nov 1989, Severo Espinoza 78 (MO).
Ecuador Napo: 250 m, 00.20S 77.05W, 03 Nov 1989 - 21 Nov 1989, Daniel Rubio 313 (MO).
Ecuador Napo:, , Asplund 10181 (S).
Ecuador Napo: Yasuni, 230 m, 00.35S 76.28W, 08 Jul 1993 - 15 Jul 1993, Alberto Dik 27 (MO, QCNE).
Ecuador Napo: Yasuni, 260 m, 00.49S 76.20W, 01-04 Feb 1994, Alberto Dik 1028 (MO, QCNE).
Ecuador Napo: Sumaco, 1560 - 1600 m, 00.38.56S 077.35.49W, 23 Abril 1997, Aída Alvarez, A. Zamora & V. Huaraca 1892 (MO, QCNE).
Ecuador Napo: Sumaco, 1550 m, 00.40.09S 077.35.47W, 1 Mayo 1997, Aída Alvarez, A. Zamora & V. Huaraca 2108 (MO, QCNE).
Ecuador Pastaza: 900 m, 1.38S 77.52W, 03 May 1984, Thomas B. Croat 58966 (MO, QCA).
Ecuador Pastaza: 920 m,, 17 Jun 1978, Kennedy 3897 (M, QCA).
Ecuador Pastaza: 900 m, 01.39S 78.02W, 09 June 1968, L.B. Holm-Nielsen & S. Jeppesen 511 (AAU).
Ecuador Pichincha: 600 m, 00.10N 79.03W, 07 Apr 1989, Mike Grayum, Nelson Zamora & Angel Gómez 9351 (MO).
Ecuador Pichincha: 600-675 m, 00.37S 79.18W, 10 Apr 1989, Mike Grayum & Nelson Zamora 9384 (MO).
Ecuador Pichincha: 700 m, 0.05N 79.02W, 16 Jul 1986, Thomas B. Croat & Jimena Rodríguez B. 61520 (CM,K,MO,QCNE).
Ecuador Pichincha: La Centinela, 1000 m, 0.32S 79.11W, 14 Mar 1992, Thomas B. Croat 73023 (MO, QCNE, WU).
Ecuador Pichincha: Reserva Endesa, 710 m, 0.03N 79.07W, 19 Mar 1992, Thomas B. Croat 73157 (MO).
Ecuador Pichincha: 300 m, 0.30S 79.16W, 20 Jul 1978, Webster et al. 22773 (DAV).
Ecuador Pichincha: 800 m,, , Madison 4011 (QCA). Ecuador Pichincha: 800 m, 00.05N 79.02W, , Rodriguez 263 (QCA, CR).
Ecuador Pichincha: 850 m,, 9 Sep 1967, Sparre 18451 (S).
Ecuador Pichincha: 300 m, 0.30S 79.16W, 20 Jul 1978, G. Webster et al. 22773 (MO).
Ecuador Sucumbios: 355 m, 0.05S 76.54W, 29 Feb 1992, Thomas B. Croat 72518 (MO).
Ecuador Zamora-Chinchipe: 935 m, 3.42S 78.25W, 04 Mar 1992, Thomas B. Croat 72710 (MO).
Ecuador Zamora-Chinchipe: 900-1000 m,, , Harling & Andersson 13978 (GB).
Ecuador Zamora-Chinchipe: 1200 m, 04.05S 78.57W, enero 1995, Walter Palacios & M. Tirado 13391 (QCNE, MO).
Ecuador Zamora-Chinchipe: Podocarpus, 1100 m, 04.05S 78.55W, 4 Nov 1996, John L. Clark & Patricio Conza, Peter Walter, Marcial Zapata 3205 (LOJA,MO,QCNE, US).
Ecuador Zamora-Chinchipe: Podocarpus, 1550 m, 04.11S 78.55W, 7 Nov 1996, John L. Clark & Patricio Conza, Peter Walter, Marcial Zapata 3384 (LOJA,MO,QCNE).
Ecuador Zamora-Chinchipe:, , croat 81067 .
Peru Amazonas: Nueva samiria, 550 m, 04.55S 78.19W, 19 Marzo 1995, N. Jaramillo, R. Apanu, J. Apanu y J.Yapu 671 (MO).
Peru Amazonas: 1010 m, 04.34.58S 78.14.01W, 14 Febrero 1997, R. Vásquez, R. Rojas & A. Peña. 22556 (B, MOO).
Peru San Martín: Dist. Campanilla, 900-950 m, 7.43S 76.40W, 21 Dec. 1981, Plowman, T. & J. Schunke V. 11634 (USM).