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Flowers usually pale-blue to lilac, occasionally white, the lower 3 tepals each with a dark-blue to purple diamond-shaped marking in the upper half, or flowers uniformly purple, or pale-yellow to greenish with deep-yellow markings on the lower 3 tepals; perianth tube 7–10 mm long, curved outward and emerging from between the bracts; tepals unequal, the uppermost (8)10–15 × 8–11 mm, larger than the others and arched over the stamens, the upper lateral tepals directed forward, the lower 3 tepals 7–12 4–5 mm, much exceeding the upper when viewed in profile, united for 3–4 mm, held close together, more or less horizontal or tilted downward, abruptly narrowed below into claws.
Foliage leaves 2, the lower one basal and tightly sheathing the stem for half to three-quarters of its length with the blade usually reaching to about the top of the spike, the upper leaf inserted shortly below the spike and shorter or sometimes exceeding the apex of the lower leaf; blades 3–5 cm long and 0.5–1 mm wide, linear with 2 fairly narrow grooves on each surface, the margins and midrib somewhat to moderately thickened.
Spike 2–4(7)-flowered, inclined at an angle of c. 45° or more, flexuous; bracts green, sometimes flushed purple, 7–10 mm long, the inner slightly shorter than the outer.
Stem erect, unbranched, sheathed for most of its length, flexed sharply outward above the sheath of the upper leaf.
Corms 9–12 mm in diameter; tunics of fine netted fibres, occasionally extending upward in a weakly developed neck.
Style dividing at the apex of the anthers, style branches 1.5–2 mm long.
Filaments 6–8 mm long, usually exserted 3–4 mm; anthers 4.5–6 mm long.
Capsules 7–8 mm long, obovate-ellipsoid.
Plants small, 15–30(40) cm high.
