Perennial herb, solitary, or suckering shortly to produce a small cluster of stems. Stems to c. 3 cm long. Leaves distichous, grass-like, 15–30(35) cm × 5–12(15) mm, linear, rather fleshy, brownish-green, white-spotted on the lower half, with spots scattered on the upper surface and more densely so on the lower surface; margins with minute white cartilaginous teeth 2–5 mm apart; apex apiculate. Inflorescence simple, erect to 50 cm high occasionally more; peduncle with a few small sterile ovate brownish bracts below the raceme, 15–20 mm apart. Raceme 5–7 × 5 cm, conical-cylindric, laxly flowered; bracts 5–8 × 3–4 mm, ovate-acuminate, papery; pedicels 12–20 mm long. Perianth orange-scarlet, green-tipped, 30–35 mm long, c. 7 mm in diameter across the ovary, cylindric, narrowing slightly towards the mouth, base tapering into the pedicel; outer segments free to the base with tips slightly spreading. Stamens and stigma scarcely exserted. Capsule stipitate for 1.5–2 mm, c. 15 × 7 mm, ovoid, brown. Seeds 2 × 3 mm, narrowly winged, black.
