Plants 45-90 cm. high.. Corm 2.5-3 cm. in diameter, the tunics membranous or ± fibrous.. Leaves ± 5, mostly basal, at least the uppermost inserted well above the ground, and sheathing for ± 1/2 its length, the lower leaves reaching to ± the base of the spike, narrowly lanceolate, 9-15(-20) mm. wide, neither the midrib not the margins noticeably thickened.. Stem usually unbranched, occasionally with up to 3 lateral branches, 4-6 mm. in diameter at the base of the spike.. Spike (6-)9-15-flowered, straight below, arched outward above; bracts 3.5-5.5(-7) cm. long, imbricate, usually red or reddish-purple (uniformly white in the only known population from Kenya).. Flowers either predominantly white, but the lower 3 tepals greenish at least apically, the distal parts of the dorsal tepals sometimes flushed reddish, or in plants from northern Uganda and Sudan, the tepals bright red to orange; perianth-tube ± 3.5 cm. long, the lower part straight and slender, the upper part curved at base and horizontal or ascending, ± 2 cm. long, also cylindric; tepals unequal, the dorsal largest, (1.2-)1.4-1.8 cm. long, extending horizontally, upper laterals 8-10 mm. long, the lower tepals 5-7 mm. long, nearly linear and extending forward.. Filaments ± 4 cm. long, exserted ± 1 cm. from the tube; anthers 7-8 mm. long, ultimately exceeding the dorsal tepal.. Style dividing opposite the middle of the anthers, the branches 5-7 mm. long.. Capsules ovoid, ± 1.5 cm. long.
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