Plants 18–140(–200) cm. high.. Rhizome vertical, short, covered with a dense mass of roots; roots, spongy, extensive, without tubers.. Leaves glabrous, closely veined, with prominent midrib and margins, linear to linear-lanceolate, clasping below, 9–70 cm. long, 0.4–1(–2.5) cm. wide; margins glabrous, scabrid or ciliate, not undulate.. Peduncle terete, with bract-like leaves all along, glabrous, up to 80 cm. long.. Inflorescence a loose panicle, sometimes only with a few branches; rhachis terete, glabrous; floral bracts ovate, scabrid or shortly ciliate.. Pedicels articulated below to near the middle, up to 12 mm. long in fruit, 2–4-nate at the lower nodes.. Perianth white or sometimes yellowish white; tepals 7–11 mm. long, 3-veined.. Stamens slightly exserted; filaments filiform, 6 mm. long.. Ovary sessile; style filiform, equal to longer than the stamens.. Capsule obovoid, triquetrous, ± 8 mm. long.. Seeds disc-shaped, 2 mm. in diameter.. Fig. 2/6.
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