Rosulate herb with subsurface to aerial branching; rhizome brownish orange, (1–)1.5–2 cm thick; stem (1–) 2.5–8 cm long, 0.5–0.8 cm in diameter, sometimes concealed completely between the leaves. Leaves ascending or suberect, slightly recurved-spreading at the upper part, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, (6–)8–14(–18) per plant, 20–47≈0.8–1.4 cm, shallowly concave and folded longitudinally, rounded or obtusely keeled on the back, smooth on both surfaces, tapering at the apex into a stout subulate tip (2–)3.5–5 cm long with soft green point, base narrowed into a petiole up to 5–7 cm long, flat on the face and very rounded at the back but broadly clasping at the base; young leaves very clearly banded on both surfaces with transverse bands of dark bright green and paler green which fade with age hence deep green, margins green, soft; basal scaly leaves 3–4 per plant, 1.5–5.2≈2.2 cm, membranous, acute, subulate tip 0.3 cm long, grey-green, margin narrow, with evident vertical veins. Inflorescence a lax raceme (25–)30–50(–60) cm long; axis greenish-purple to pale green, 0.2–0.3 cm wide, smooth, glaucous; flower clusters on upper third of axis, flowers (1–)2 per cluster, always solitary in lower and upper parts of the inflorescence, ascending; lower inflorescence bracts 3–4(–5), 1.5–2.5 cm long, the basal clasping, membranous, acute; bracteoles spreading, narrowly lanceolate, 3–4(–6) mm long, membranous, acute, each subtending a flower; pedicel 2–3 mm long, the base hardly jointed. Flower perianth (18–)21–23 mm long; tube pale pinkish-white, 9–12 mm long, swollen at base, lobes greenish grey at base, grey-white in middle, pinkish-brown at apex, linear, 9.5–11 mm long, obtuse; filament 15–17 mm long, anthers 1.5 mm long; ovary greenish grey, elongate, (1.5–)2.4–2.7 mm wide. Fruit a yellow berry, 5–8 mm in diameter.
