Bobartia aphylla Ker Gawl.

Plants 300-700 mm high, sometimes forming clumps. Rhizome compact and corm-like, 8-15 mm diam. Stem formed by basal internode only, subterete, 1-3 mm diam., with fine stomatiferous furrows. Foliage leaves 2 to 6 in a basal tuft, terete, usually shorter than flowering stem, resembling stem. Rhipidia erect, 3 to 10 in a narrow, shortly pedunculate head, often appearing lateral on stem, subtended by erect, terete, leaf-like bract, often greatly extended (up to ± 400 mm), stiff or flexible, appearing as a continuation of stem; pedicels puberulent distally; rhipidial bracts and spathes firm-textured, green, outer spathe lanceolate, inner 20-35 mm long. Flowers yellow; tepals free, elliptic, outer 18-26 x 8-12 mm, inner slightly smaller. Filaments 2-4 mm long; anthers ± 6 mm long. Ovary shortly or scarcely exserted, weakly to densely papillate; style ± 2 mm long, branches 4-6 mm long. Capsules exserted, obovoid, tuberculate, 8-13 mm long, dark reddish brown.