Perennial with thin roots; shoots erect to scrambling, usually sparsely branched, 50–100 cm or more; internodes glabrous or subglabrous. Leaves mainly distichous, sheaths 1–2.5 cm long, glabrous to puberulous, glabrous or ciliolate at the apex, blade of uppermost leaves sessile with a round to truncate base, of lower leaves usually petiolate with a cuneate base, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or ovate, 4–13.5 x 0.6–3 cm, apex acuminate to acute, margins flat, scabrous, surfaces puberulous. Spathes solitary on puberulous 1–3(–4) cm long peduncles, 2–3 x 0.8–1.4(–1.7) cm, usually distinctly falcate, especially near the apex, densely puberulous and "sticky" to touch, apex usually acuminate, base cordate to truncate, margins fused basally, glabrous; upper cincinnus usually 1-flowered and long-exserted, lower c. 4–5-flowered. Flowers bisexual and male, 1.5–2 cm wide; sepals free; all petals blue, the lower one ovate-lanceolate; anthers entirely yellow. Capsules ± stipitate, oblong, constricted medially, 7.5–9 x (3-)4–5 mm, dorsal cell striate, indehiscent, 1-seeded, ventral cells smooth, dehiscent, (1–)2-seeded. Seeds of ventral cells transversely oblong-ellipsoid to reniform, 3.3–4.5 x 2.3-2.7 mm, testa dark brown to black or grey, sometimes with contrasting blotches, with 4–6 transverse furrows, each intervening ridge with a row of fine tubercles, farinose granules lacking.
