Plants usually robust, (300-)450-1500 mm high. Stem much branched in upper half, sheathed by leaf bases below; cataphylls and bases of leaf sheaths often speckled pale on red background. Leaves several, linear to sword-shaped, (4-)6-12 mm wide, basal longest, with visible main vein. Rhipidia 2-flowered; spathes green with membranous margins, inner 45-65 mm long, outer ± half as long, usually entirely sheathing. Flowers on pedicels 40-60 mm long, variously pale yellow to beige with brown to dull purple mottling and brown margins to mostly brown with pale yellow margins, strongly scented, odour ± of caramel or molasses, tepals widely diverging, claws forming shallow bowl 6-8 mm deep, 13-18 mm wide at mouth, nectary covering ± half length of claw, limbs spreading; outer tepals 28-35 mm long, claws 8-12 mm long, limbs up to 25 mm long, inner tepals slightly shorter and narrower. Filaments united in smooth column ± 6 mm long, free in upper 3 mm; anthers ± 3 mm long, thecae parallel, shortly apiculate; pollen orange. Ovary ellipsoid, without beak, included in spathes, 12-20 mm long; style branches ± 4 mm long, forked in upper half, divided into diverging arms; 4-5 mm long, prominently fringed; stigmas terminal on style arms. Capsules ovoid to oblong, 15-25 mm long, obtuse or pointed at apex. Seeds angular, mostly 5-sided, ± 4 mm long, facets slightly wrinkled.
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Cormous geophyte, 40-100 cm, leafy and much branched. Leaves sword-shaped with raised midvein. Flowers dull yellow to brown, often speckled, often putrid-smelling, tepals margins buff, anther lobes parallel; capsules ovoid.
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