A pedicel may be associated with a bract or bracts. The flowers are arranged in a forked, spathe-like bract or between two opposite bracts. Beneath the spadix is the spathe, a type of bract. The inflorescence emerges from a usually boat-shaped, leathery bract, forming large, pendent clusters. The spadix is typically surrounded by a leaf-like curved bract known as a spathe. The inflorescence is composed of a dark blue bract, white sepals and a bluish-purple "tongue". Inflorescences or their subunit are sometimes enclosed in a leaf-like bract often called a spathe. Pedicels are subtended by a linear bract and are straight or recurved outwards at fruitification. The term can also mean the lower bract on a peduncle. Each flower is subtended by a large bract. Each floret may be subtended by a bract, called a "palea" or "receptacular bract". One bract within this whorl is a sterile bract. The phyllaries (a bract under the flowerhead) has long spreading hairs. Capsules are hispid, 3-valved and concealed by a bract. The central bract is spiny and larger than the other two.