Plants acaulescent or very shortly caulescent, stem simple, usually solitary, sometimes in small groups of 2-4 plants from division, never suckering and forming dense groups. Leaves about 45, densely rosulate, lanceolate-ensiform or narrowing gradually from the base, somewhat arcuate-incurved, 60-80 cm long, 11-12 cm broad at base; upper surface flat low down, slightly canaliculate upwards; lower surface convex; both surfaces coriaceous, dull grey-green or pale glaucous-green, without spots or lineation; margins armed with small deep brown to black deltoid pungent teeth 2 mm long, 2-10 mm distant, usually more crowded near base, more distant upwards, sometimes bifid, usually isolated and directed forwards. Inflorescence, 1-1.5 met. high, 2-3, simultaneous or consecutive, usually divaricately 3-4-branched from about the middle. Peduncle brown, bi-convex and 3-5 cm broad at base, terete upwards, the branches usually divaricately arcuate-erect, and subtended at base by thin scarious many-nerved pale brown ovate-acuminate bracts. Racemes cylindric-conical, densely flowered, about 20 cm long, distinctively bicoloured, the buds dark reddish, the open flowers bright chrome-yellow, the youngest apical buds somewhat globular and hidden by their longer bracts. Bracts ovate in lower half, acuminate, about 20 mm long, and 16 mm broad, very thin, sub-scarious, somewhat pellucid, pale brown, about 12-nerved. Pedicels lowest 20-25 mm long, 30 mm and more in the fruit. Perianth chrome-yellow, cylindric-carinate, somewhat trigonous, usually with the mouth distinctly upturned, averaging 35 mm in length; outer segments free to base, faintly pale nerved throughout, the 2 upper closely grouped, the lowest distinctly naviculate, with the apices sub-acute, spreading, somewhat brownish tipped; inner segments free, not cohering to the outer, broader than the outer, with thin white margins and 3-5 congested nerves in median line, the apices brownish, more obtuse and more spreading to revolute. Filaments lemon-yellow, much flattened, the 3 inner narrower and lengthening in advance of the 3 outer, with their anthers in turn exserted 2-4 mm Stigma at length exserted 5 mm. Ovary 9 mm long 4-5 mm diam., 6-grooved, green. Capsule about 25 mm long, 12 mm diam., cylindric-oblong, roundly 3-angled, for some time enwrapped with the dried remains of the perianth.
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Herb succulent, stemless. Leaves 102-127 cm a dense rosette, lanceolate-ensiform, erect, distinctly incurved, pale glaucous green 50-70 cm long and 10-13 cm at the base, rather flat, convex below, beset at the margins with small deltoid thorns about 2 mm long, black, and about 6-8 mm apart. Inflorescences often 2-4 from the same rosette, spreading; scape laterally compressed, naked, with usually two lateral branches; branches arcuate-erect, clothed with pale brown scariose broadly ovate-acuminate bracts; racemes densely flowered, conical cylindrical, 17-20 cm long; bracts and tinged with red towards the base; the young buds distinctly globular; bracts scariose, pellucidate, 5-6 mm long, ovate-cuspidate, reflexed; pedicels recurved 3-4 mm long. Perianth 35 mm long, cylindrical-ventricose, very shortly stipitate; outer segments free for 15-17 mm., obtuse, recurved at the apex, 3-5-nerved; inner segments obtuse, recurved, tipped with auburn (R.C.S.), with 3 green nerves. Stamens projecting 11 mm beyond the perianth and slightly recurved, the exposed portion of the filaments chestnut-brown to black; anthers mars orange (R.C.S.). Style stout, strongly recurved, pale sulphur-yellow (R.C.S.). Capsule shortly stipitate, oblong-ovoid, 25 mm long and 13 mm broad.
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