Aristea galpinii N.E.Br. ex Weim.

Plants 200-650 mm high. Stem simple or rarely shortly branched below, lightly compressed in the lower half, most flower clusters sessile. Leaves several, the basal ± linear, 4-9 mm wide, ± half as long as stem, markedly firm-textured in northern populations, the upper cauline, largely to entirely sheathing. Flower clusters 3 to several per axis, sessile except the terminal (occasionally lowermost flower cluster shortly stalked), crowded, with up to 12-flowers each; outer spathe prominent, green to brown, 15-20 mm long; inner spathes and bracts greenish to translucent below, becoming dry and red-brown in upper half, irregularly torn with age. Flowers ± sessile except the terminal, mid-to deep blue; tepals 12-14 x 5-7 mm, outer smaller than inner. Filaments ± 3 mm long; anthers 2-3 mm long. Style ± 8 mm long, deflexed, with small deltoid apical lobes. Capsules narrowly ovoid-oblong, 7-8 mm long, shallowly 3-lobed. Seeds angular with slightly flattened sides, ± 1.5 mm long, sculpturing foveate.