Plants acaulescent, with leaves in a basal rosette which is about 5 to 6 cm diam., proliferous from the base. Leaves about 50, the young erect, incurved, the old ascending to somewhat spreading, little incurved, about 2.5 cm long, up to 12 mm broad, up to 3 mm thick, oblong or obovate to oblong, somewhat acuminate, light grey-green, or reddish; upper surface hat to ± convex, to turgid towards the middle area, about 10 mm long, with 4 to 6 red longitudinal lines, smooth; lower surface rounded, smooth, the pellucid area shorter than that of the upper surface, with about 8 parallel lines; keel(s) 1 or 2 in the upper third, the second when present usually towards the margin; the area from the middle of the leaf to the tip usually beset with 2 mm long curved pellucid teeth; margins acute, with teeth similar to those on the keel; end-awn 3 to 5 mm long with bristles, white. Inflorescence about 26 cm tall; peduncle simple, terete, about 2 mm diam., 12 cm long, bracteate; sterile bracts membranous, ovate, acuminate, about 8 mm long, erect, keeled; raceme about 14 cm long, with about 20 spirally arranged flowers and buds, 2 to 3 open simultaneously; floral bracts membranous, 7 mm long, deltoid, acute, keeled with fine reddish-brown veins, clasping the pedicels, (longer than the pedicels); pedicels 4 mm long, 1 mm diam., green, erect; perianth white with green keels to the segments, 16 mm long, curved, compressed at base, funnel-shaped, tube more or less 5 mm across, constricted to 3 mm above, segments free to the base, limb 2 lipped; posterior segments with lobes recurved, little spreading, white with greenish-brown veins; exterior part recurved, spreading, white with green veins; stamens 6 of two lengths, 7 and 8 mm long, inserted within the perianth tube; ovary 5 mm long, 2 mm diam., green; style 2 mm long, curved, capitate.
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