leaves 1 1/2–3 in. long, 2–4 lin. broad at the base, whence they gradually taper to a very fine acute point, concave down the face; scapes 1–2 to a plant, 6–10 in. long, 1/2– 3/4 lin. thick, striate in the dried state; basal sheath 1 1/4–2 1/2 in. long, 2-lobed at the apex; flower-heads globose, 3–4 lin. in diam., monœcious; involucral bracts about 1 lin. long, 3/4 lin. broad, oblong-obovate, glabrous, whitish or pallid; flowering bracts 3/4–1 lin. long, 1/2 lin. broad, oblong-obovate, subacute, concave, obtusely keeled on the back, pale brownish, with a fuscous or olive-green spot on each side, a little above the middle; apex densely bearded with white hairs; receptacle globose, villous; female flowers shortly pedicellate; sepals 3, free, 1 lin. long, rhomboidal-lanceolate, boat-shaped, acute, acutely keeled (not wing-keeled) on the back, pale olive-green, with the apex and keel whitish; apex ciliate, and more or less bearded with white hairs; petals 3, free, about 1 lin. long, 1/4 lin. broad, cuneate-oblong or cuneate-linear, obtuse, ciliate, and a little hairy on the face at the apex, white, with a linear black gland a little below the apex; ovary trigonous, glabrous; style with 3 filiform branches; male flowers shortly pedicellate; sepals 2/3– 3/4 lin. long, 1/3– 1/2 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, concave, not at all keeled on the back, obtuse or subacute, densely bearded with white hairs at the apex, whitish, with an olive-green spot on each side, a little below the apex; petals 3, free, unequal, the dorsal or larger one 2/3– 3/4 lin. long, 1/4– 1/2 lin. broad, cuneate-obovate, obtuse or subacute, white, rather thick, ciliate, and bearded with white hairs on the inner face, and with a linear black gland a little above the middle; stamens 6; anthers black. null
