Plants acaulescent, with leaves in a basal rosette which is about 50 to 80 mm diam., proliferous from the base. Leaves about 60, the young erect, incurved, up to 45 mm long, about 13 mm broad, 8 mm thick, oblong-lanceolate, gradually tapering, pale green; upper surface slightly convex above, flat below, the pellucid part 15 mm long, with about 6 longer or shorter longitudinal green lines, the centre one reaching the tip, smooth; lower surface convex, the pellucid part about 12 mm long, with about 12 longer and shorter longitudinal green lines, only the centre one reaching the apex, smooth; keel 1, centrally positioned in the upper third, armed with about 3 mm long pellucid teeth; margins acute, armed with 4 mm long pellucid deltoid to cuspidate teeth; end-awn up to 14 mm long, brown, toothed with 3 mm long teeth. Inflorescence about 37 cm tall; peduncle simple, terete, about 2 mm diam., 23 cm long, bracteate; sterile bracts membranous, ovate acuminate, about 5 mm long, erect, keeled; raceme about 14 cm long, lax, with about 20 spirally arranged flowers and buds, 4 open simultaneously; floral bracts membranous, 6 mm long, deltoid, acute, keeled with broad brown veins, clasping the pedicels, (longer than the pedicels); pedicels 3 mm long, 1.5 mm diam., green, erect; perianth pinkish-white, with green keels to the segments, 17 mm long, compressed at base, funnel-shaped, tube more or less 5 mm across and constricted to 4 mm above, curved; segments free to the base, limb 2 lipped; posterior segments erect, little recurved, spreading, pinkish-white with greenish-brown veins; exterior part strongly recurved, spreading, pinkish-white with greenish-brown veins; stamens 6 of two lengths 8 and 9 mm long, inserted within the perianth tube; ovary 5 mm long, 2 mm diam., green; style 1.5 mm long, straight, capitate.
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Extraordinarily polymorphous. Leaves in compact, generally spineless rosettes, from small (40 mm in diam.) to large (120 mm in diam.) rosettes, solitary or proliferous, swollen, erect oblong lanceolate, obtuse, truncate, or even attenuate often as thick as wide when truncate, usually bluish green in colour with purplish hues, margins smooth, denticulate or spinose, ecotypic adaptations to diverse habitats, often withdrawn to soil surface level, or in dense clusters on moderate rock faces. Flowering time Sept.-Dec.
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