Perennial herb from a thick rhizome, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter, with spreading fleshy yellow roots ± 2 mm in diameter. Leaves in a basal rosette, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 50–140 cm long, up to 3 cm wide towards the base, sometimes the lowest ones sheathing up to 10 cm. Inflorescence 60–120 cm long; peduncle 8–18 mm in diameter; raceme very dense and compact, 5.5–9 cm long, 4–6.5 cm wide; fertile bracts lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 5–9 mm long, 1–2 mm at the base, acute at the apex; pedicels 2–4 mm long. Flowers dark red when young, paler with age and yellow when open, the upper held ± horizontally to slightly pendent, ± straight; the perianth-tube 18–30 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide around the ovary, barely constricted above, 3–5 mm wide at the mouth, the lobes 1–2 mm long; stamens slightly exserted for 1–2 mm; style exserted for up to 7 mm in older flowers. Capsules ovoid, 6–7 mm long, 5–6 mm wide.