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Flowers purple to pinkish, without markings, or 1 or all of the lower tepals with a small yellow mark in the distal half; perianth tube c. 10 mm long, expanding gradually from base to apex, curving outward above; tepals subequal to unequal with the upper 3 larger than the lower ones, 30–35 × 13–15 mm at the widest (poorly pressed flowers may shrink by up to 50 per cent of their original size), lanceolate, narrowed below, the upper 3 ascending, the lower directed downward.
Foliage leaves 3–, the lower 2–4 basal and laminate, the blades beginning to emerge around flowering time, ultimately the largest up to 35 cm long, 4–6 mm wide, linear to narrowly lanceolate or falcate, the margins and midribs moderately thickened, usually lightly pubescent, especially on the sheaths; the upper 1–3 leaves mostly to entirely sheathing, glabrous.
Spike 6–9-flowered, the lateral spikes with fewer flowers, inclined; bracts 10–15(20) mm long, green below, becoming more or less membranous above or dry at anthesis, the inner usually slightly longer than the outer.
Corms 25–30 mm in diameter, depressed-globose, usually persisting for some years, usually dark-red; tunics coriaceous to somewhat membranous, fragmenting irregularly.
Style dividing beyond the anther apices, style branches c. 3 mm long.
Filaments 18–20 mm long; exserted for 12–14 mm; anthers 7–8 mm long.
Stems often 1–2-branched, occasionally simple.
Capsules 15–22 mm long, ellipsoid-obovoid.
Plants (20)40–70 cm high.
