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Rosulate herb; rhizome subterranean, 0.6–1.2 cm in diameter. Leaves erect, (4–)5–10, twisted-distichous, compressed-cylindric, 30–60 cm long, ± 4.5–6 cm broad at the sheathing base, gradually tapering to the horny white terete and sharp spine, apex 1–1.7 cm long, margins deep red-brown, less than 1 mm wide, acute, edged with white, thin membrane in some parts, very wide at base in old leaves in lower half, more or less obtuse and green towards the apex, the red-brown edge of the margin run like a collar around the base of the white apical point, slightly rough to very rough, channelled on the face and with ± 7–12 shallow grooves on the rounded back, thickness from the bottom of the channel to the back measured ± one third of the way up 0.8–1.5 cm; channel as wide as leaf near the base and gradually narrowing upwards, especially narrow on the inner (i.e. youngest) leaf; scaly leaves 1–5, 3–10 cm long, stiff, rounded apex, more or less deltoid, broad-based and clasping, red-brown margin with wide white-brown membrane. Inflorescence a terminal spike-like raceme ± 50 cm long; axis pale green, terete, 0.5–0.6 cm in diameter; flowers (3–)4–6 per cluster; lower inflorescence bracts 3, membranous, ± 5 cm long, clasping two-thirds of the circumference at the base of the peduncle; bracteoles 3–10 mm long, fleshy at the base, and thence produced into a membranous acuminate early withering scale; pedicels 5–8 mm long, jointed about the middle, the upper part early deciduous with flower. Flower buds cylindric, 2.1–2.4 cm long, with a lustrous appearance, drab yellow or white faintly flushed with pink or mauve and drab yellow or white faintly flushed with a mauve and the lightly clavate tip greyish-olive; tube ± 8–10 mm long, lobes linear, 12 mm long, obtuse, strongly revolute near the base; filaments yellowish, ± as long as the perianth, anthers 2.5–3 mm long; style whitish, ± 2 cm long. Fruit up to 2 per cluster, a globose berry 0.6–0.9 cm diameter. Fig. 3, p. 29.