Plants (12-)20-60 cm. high. Corms globose, 1-1.4 cm. in diameter, tunics of fine pale reticulate fibres. Foliage leaves several, narrowly lanceolate, usually reaching to the base of the spike but sometimes exceeding it, (6-)8-12 mm. wide. Stem erect, simple or with 2-4 branches. spike 2-6-flowered; outer bracts 1-1.5 cm. long, green, becoming membranous to dry above, usually dark brown apically, inner bracts smaller than the outer and bifid. Flowers zygomorphic, red (rarely pink), the lower 3 tepals each with a darker red mark at the base; perianth-tube erect, campanulate, slender below, broad and cupped above, 2-3 cm. long, the upper part, ± 4 mm.; tepals unequal, lanceolate, the upper erect, 2.2-3(-3.5) cm. long, the lower 3 ascending to nearly horizontal, 2.1-2.6 cm. long. Filaments unilateral and arcuate, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, exserted for (1-)1.5-2 cm.; anthers 5.5-8 mm. long. Style dividing between the middle and apex of the anthers, the branches 4-6 mm. long, deeply forked, arched over the anthers. Capsules 8-10 mm. long, 7-8 mm. wide, smooth to irregularly papillate. Fig. 8/1-4.