branches glabrous; leaves 3–5 in. long, 4–8 lin. broad, linear-lanceolate to linear, subacute or subobtuse, narrowing at the base, distinctly or indistinctly veined, glabrous; heads peduncled, contracted at the base into a scaly stipes 4–10 lin. long, 2 1/2–3 in. long, about 2 1/4 in. in diam.; involucral bracts 14–20-seriate; outer ovate, subacuminate, obtuse, finely silky-pubescent on the back; inner oblong or spathulate-oblong, equalling or slightly shorter than the flowers; perianth-sheath 1 1/4–1 1/2 in. long, dilated, 3-keeled and 7-nerved below, membranous, densely pilose within; lip 5–6 lin. long, 3-toothed, usually glabrous or very sparingly pilose; lateral teeth 3/4 lin. long; median tooth 1/2 lin. long; stamens all fertile, subsessile; anthers linear, 4 lin. long; apical glands 1/4– 1/8 lin. long, ovate, obtuse; ovary 1 1/2 lin. long, obovoid, covered with long reddish-brown hairs; style about 1 1/2 in. long, slightly curved or flexuous, tapering above, somewhat compressed, glabrous; stigma 3 1/2–4 1/2 lin. long, filiform, obtuse, passing almost imperceptibly into the style. null
