Woody shrub, erect to 0.5 m high with few branches, glabrous, not scandent but rather ‘leaning’ on surrounding vegetation; short shoots present, not spinescent. Leaves initially clustered, rapidly becoming alternate as the specific name suggests, linear, longest in the genus, 45–70 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, incurving but not canaliculate, apices mucronate, reflexed. Inflorescences branched, corymbose with up to 12 bisexual, protandrous irregular flowers held barely past the leaves, rachis to 20–25 mm, bracts 4–7 mm long, leaf-like, bracteoles smaller; flower peduncles 10–15 mm long. Sepals ill-fitting, overlapping at the base, 4–8 mm long and very variable: narrow triangular to broad ovate, usually with a purple centre and clear or green towards the incurving margins. Petals slightly obovate, 12–20 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, apical margins slightly hairy, cuspidate; inner deep blue, outer paler. Stamens free, grouped together like the fingers of a hand facing petal break; filaments eventually longer than anthers, to 5 mm long, thin, ribbony, flared basally, deep blue; anthers 3–4 mm long, oblong-sagittate, dehiscing through apical pores, yellow gold; pollen yellow. Pistil without basal nectary, glabrous. Fruit to 18 mm long. Seeds 1.5 mm long, glossy, slightly ridged, red-brown, reniform with a prominent white aril.
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