Rhizome terete, 0.8--1.3 cm thick. Stem arching, mottled with lilac basally, 20--30 cm. Leaves alternate; petiole longitudinally lilac striped, 2--7 mm; leaf blade adaxially often dark green checkered along longitudinal and transverse veinlets, oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 5--7 × 1.9--3.7 cm, base slightly cordate to truncate, margin undulate, apex acuminate to slightly aristate. Bracts linear, to 7 mm, or absent. Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2 or 3; pedicel 5--8 mm. Perianth cream, distally dark reddish purple adaxially and often yellowish green or reddish purple abaxially, 1.1--1.2 cm; tube ca. 3 mm, slightly constricted near mouth; lobes oblong, 8--9 × 4.5--6 mm. Corona lobes opposite perianth lobes, 3--5 × 2.1--2.7 mm, membranous, apex deeply 2-cleft into lobelets. Anthers attached at corona lobelet sinus, ovoid, ca. 2 mm. Ovary depressed ovoid, ca. 2.7 mm, with 3 shallow grooves along sutures. Style ca. 1.6 mm. Fl. May.