Plants small to medium, 70-120(-180) mm high. Corm globose, ± symmetric, obliquely flattened below, 7-9 mm diam.; tunics light brown, concentric, layers fragmenting irregularly, drawn into bristles above. Stem ± erect below, flexed above leaf sheaths and at base of spike, smooth. Leaves (2)3, lower 2 basal, terete and narrowly 4-grooved, usually sticky on sheaths and with sand adhering, lowermost longest, usually shortly exceeding stem, uppermost cauline, sheathing stem below, terete above, sometimes entirely sheathing. Spike inclined with flowers in upper side, flexuose, mostly 2-to 6-flowered; bracts 6-12 mm long, dry and papery above, inner slightly smaller than outer, sometimes longer. Flowers actinomorphic, rotate, deep yellow (becoming blackish when dry); perianth tube funnel-shaped, 3-5 mm long; tepals ± elliptic, 15-22(-28) x 10-2 mm. Filaments erect, equal, 7-13 mm long; anthers 5-6 mm long, yellow. Style dividing near or shortly beyond anther tips, 4-5 mm long.
More
Cormous geophyte, 8-14 cm, tunics woody, concentric. Leaves terete with 4 longitudinal grooves. Flowers large, golden-yellow, tepals spreading, perianth tube 3-5 mm long.