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Leaves several to many, the lower 2–3 entirely stem-sheathing and membranous (cataphylls); foliage leaves (sometimes lacking at anthesis) equitant, lanceolate to linear, 1-several, with or without a midrib.
Ovary included or excluded, style slender, concealed by the filament column, dividing into 3 flattened branches, these finely fringed above, the stigma lobe abaxial, at the base of the fringe.
Inflorescence composed of several flower clusters (rhipidia); rhipidia terminal on the main and lateral axes, several-flowered; spathes herbaceous, the inner exceeding the outer.
Filaments united into a column in the lower part, free and diverging above, anthers appressed to the style branches, the thecae parallel or divergent.
Perennial herbs with depressed-globose corms, aerial parts dying hack annually; corm tunics evanescent (lacking in herbarium collections).
Tepals free, the outer 3 larger than the inner, unguiculate, the limbs usually with crisped margins.
Flowers actinomorphic, often dull-coloured and speckled, usually unpleasantly scented.
Stems branched or simple, terete, sometimes sticky below the nodes.
Capsules oblong-obovoid, sometimes rostrate.
