Herb up to 70 cm high; corm oblong-ovoid, up to 4 cm long and 2.5(–4) cm in diameter; stem simple or 2–3, branched, 7–70 cm high; cataphyll up to 7(–14.5) cm long. Leaves glaucous to somewhat greyish green, (2–)4–7(–12), erecto-patent-spreading-recurved, lanceolate, 10–35 cm long, (1–)1.5–5 cm wide near the base, apex acute to subobtuse. Raceme 5–30 cm with up to 25 flowers; bracts linear-lanceolate, 1.9–5.5 cm long, 0.1–0.4 cm wide; pedicels 1.5–7 cm long. Perianth dark brownish, olive-green or sometimes pale lemon-yellow, often with red or purple margins and nectary region; perianth segments lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, (8–)10–23(–25) mm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide (when expanded), claw (1–)2–3.5(–4) mm long. Filaments upper parts purplish or mahogany red, lower parts white or light greenish, usually curved, 4–13(–16) mm long; anthers 2.5–6 mm long, often curved. Ovary globose or ovoid-oblong, green; styles spreading, 6–15 mm long. Capsule 1–2.5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm in diameter; seeds 2.5–4 mm in diameter. Fig. 6 (page 16).
