Perennial herb, suckering to produce numerous stems in a dense cluster. Stems to 12 mm in diameter, erect to 3 cm high, or elongating to become pendent and sometimes loosely spirally twisted to 150 cm long. Leaves distichous to subrosulate in a loose spiral, deciduous below the apical 20–30 cm of the stem, grass-like and weakly erect to arching over, 30–50 cm × 5–10 mm, linear, expanded to c. 15 mm at the clasping base, rather fleshy, channelled on the upper surface, light green with whitish spots scattered on the upper surface, the spotting more dense on the lower surface especially at the base; margin with minute, white, cartilaginous teeth 2–5 mm apart in the lower half, obsolescent above. Inflorescence unbranched, erect and 40–75 cm high, or oblique to c. 65 cm long with the raceme hanging down or slightly upturned on pendulous plants; peduncle with a few small sterile papery bracts, 15–25 mm apart below the raceme. Raceme 12–18 × 4 cm, cylindrical, laxly flowered; bracts 2–3 × 2 mm, ovate-acute, whitish, papery; pedicels 10–15 mm long, with flowers spreading. Perianth orange-scarlet, 12–16 mm long, 4 mm in diameter across the ovary, cylindric-campanulate, widening slightly towards the mouth, base tapering into the pedicel; outer segments free to the base with tips slightly spreading. Stamens and stigma not exserted. Capsule 12–18 × 7–9 mm, ovoid. Seeds c. 3.5 × 2.5 mm, black and narrowly winged.