Perennial with thin rather fleshy roots supporting a crown from which arises 1(–2) shoots; stem 3–8(–20) cm. long, mostly below ground, unbranched, supporting a rosette of leaves at or near ground level, glabrous or subglabrous.. Leaves spirally arranged, but set close together with very reduced internodes (often not more than 1–2 mm. long), sessile or subsessile, lowermost leaves often smaller than the upper; lamina oblong to elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, (4.5–)5.5–18 cm. long, (1.8–)2.5–6 cm. broad, the lower often relatively broader and shorter than the upper, the apex obtuse or subobtuse, the base gradually cuneate, glabrous or subglabrous above, finely pubescent on the midrib and veins beneath; lateral veins 7–13 pairs; margin shallowly serrate or crenate.. Flowers solitary or in fascicles of 2–3, epedunculate, white or pale pink, the lateral united petals with a yellow boss toward the base in the throat of the flower, the upper lateral petals with a reddish blotch in the centre, the lower sepal generally veined with pink or red.. Bracts lanceolate, 2–3 mm. long, acute, inconspicuous.. Pedicels 3.2–9.8 cm. long, slender, finely pubescent or subglabrous, ascending in flower but drooping in fruit.. Lateral sepals broadly ovate or cordate, 4.5–8 mm. long, 4–6.5 mm. broad, the apex shortly apiculate.. Lower sepal navicular, 12–16 mm. long, 5–7 mm. deep, abruptly constricted into a very short 0.75–2 mm. long filiform blunt vestigial spur.. Dorsal petal 15–20 mm. long, 10–19 mm. broad, cucullate, dorsally with a narrow crest terminating in a short subacute point.. Lateral united petals 23–38 mm. long, the upper of each pair about one-third the size of the lower; upper petal ± oblong, 10–18 mm. long, 5–12 mm. broad; lower oval or suborbicular, 17–28 mm. long, 15–23 mm. broad, with an emargination along the inner margin towards the top.. Ovary glabrous.. Fruit fusiform, 16–20 mm. long, 3.5–6 mm. broad, glabrous.. Figs. 3/49, p. 6; 9.
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