leaves 1/2–2 1/2 in. long, 1/2–1 1/2 lin. broad, linear-subulate, subacute or somewhat obtuse at the apex, concave down the face; scapes 1–4 to a plant, 2 1/2–8 in. long, 3/4–1 lin. thick, terete, striate in the dried state; basal sheath 3/4–2 in. long, unequally 3–5-lobed at the apex; flower-heads subglobose, 3–4 lin. in diam., monœcious, lower flowers female, inner male; involucral bracts 3/4–1 1/4 lin. long, 1/2–1 1/4 lin. broad, elliptic or orbicular, obtuse, pallid, glabrous; flowering bracts 1–1 1/3 lin. long, 2/3– 3/4 lin. broad, obovate, obtuse, or the inner ones acute, concave, glabrous, blackish; receptacle cushion-like, with very minute papilliform points upon it; female flowers shortly pedicellate; sepals 3, free, about 3/4 lin. long, boat-shaped, rounded on the back and somewhat gibbous, acute or subacute and incurved at the apex, blackish-green, ciliate and clothed on the back with white hairs; stipes between the calyx and corolla very short; petals 3, free, rather more than 1 lin. long, 1/4– 1/3 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, obtuse, white, with an oblong or subquadrate black gland near the apex and ciliate with white hairs; ovary trigonous, glabrous; style with 3 filiform branches; male flowers with glabrous pedicels 1/3– 1/2 lin. long; sepals 3, about 3/4 lin. long, 1/2 lin. broad, cuneate-oblong, obtuse or subtruncate, very concave, rounded on the back, blackish-green, with white hairs at the tips; petals 1/2– 3/4 lin. long, 1/3 lin. broad, obovate, obtuse, ciliate and hairy on the inner face at the apex, white, with an oblong black gland a little below it; stamens 6; anthers white. null