Characters separating Hapaline from other palaeotropical 'colocasioid' genera
(after Grayum, 1990). Comments in [ ] are additional to Grayum‰s original list.

1. Non-peltate leaves (relatively rare in palaeotropical genera) [but cf. Alocasia]

2. Spathe-spadix fusion [cf. Alocasia aequiloba Engl.] 3. Uniovular ovaries.

4. Base chromosome number of x = 13 (x = 14 in rest of Caladieae).

5. Trinucelate pollen (but also present in Remusatia Schott).

6. Sterile male flowers above and below the fertile male flowers [cf. Alocasia, many species with staminodial appendages]