main stem subterranean, producing prostrate or ascending, glabrous branches up to over 3 in. long; leaves 3 1/2–6 1/2 in. long, 1 1/2–3 lin. broad, linear to oblanceolate-linear, acute, narrowed at the base, glabrous, subglaucous, veinless, with acute margins; head sometimes contracted into a short scaly stipes about 1 1/2 in. long, about 1 in. in diam.; involucral bracts 12–14-seriate, glabrous; outer elliptic-ovate, obtuse or subobtuse, ciliate; inner oblong, ciliate, equalling the flowers; perianth-sheath 8 lin. long, gradually dilated from the middle downwards, distinctly 3-nerved, faintly 5-nerved below, glabrous, excepting on the very densely ciliate margins; lip 2 lin. long, 3-toothed, pubescent or shortly tomentose excepting on the more or less glabrous back; teeth subequal, 1/4 lin. long, villous; stamens all fertile; filaments 1/6 lin. long, obovate; anthers linear, 1 1/2 lin. long; apical glands 1/3 lin. long, ovate, subacuminate, acute; ovary obovate-oblong, covered with long reddish-yellow hairs; style 9 lin. long, sickle-shaped, subulate from an obliquely lanceolate compressed base, glabrous; stigma 1 lin. long, finely subulate, obtuse. null