Plants cespitose, forming small colonies, erect, acaulescent or rarely short-caulescent, 1–3 m; rosettes usually small, slowly dying after flowering. Stems simple, to 0.3 m. Leaf blade erect, proximal leaves becoming reflexed at middle in age, lanceolate, gradually tapering to apex, thin, widest near middle, 40–80 × 1–4(–5) cm, rigid or soft and limp, glabrous, margins entire, filiferous, apex spinose. Inflorescences paniculate, arising beyond rosettes, narrowly ovoid, 4–15 dm, mostly pubescent; bracts erect, proximal to 25 cm, distal 2–3 cm; peduncle scapelike, 0.5–2.8 m, 0.5–4 cm diam. Flowers pendent; tepals distinct, white, creamy white, or light greenish white, lanceolate to elliptic, 3–5 × 1–3 cm, mostly pubescent, apex obtuse; filaments 1.2–2.2 cm; pistil 1.5–3.8 cm; ovary pale green, 1.5 cm; style greenish white to white, papillate; stigmas lobed; pedicel 1.5–3 cm. Fruits erect, capsular, dehiscent, oblong, obpyriform, or conical, 3.5–4 × 1.5–2 cm, dehiscence septicidal. Seeds dull black, thin, 6–8 × 5–6 mm.
