Plant to c. 4 m tall. Leaves shortly petiolate; lamina lanceolate, shortly acuminate, rounded at base, to 70 cm long, 7-14 cm wide; margins ciliate; ligule 0.5-1 cm long, truncate. Inflorescence fusiform, to 12 cm long; sterile bracts usually bright red, densely clothed with short white or cream indumentum; fertile bracts 5-8 cm long; bracteoles 3-6 cm long. Flowers usually red. Calyx 5-8 cm long. Corolla tube 8-10 cm long; lobes 1.5-2 cm long. Labellum longer than corolla lobes, ovate, entire. Anther sessile, emarginate. Style usually not elongating fully in mature flower; stigma held at base of thecae.