Plants mostly 250-500 mm high. Corm ± globose, mostly 8-10 mm diam., often with stolons from base or cormlets virtually sessile; tunics of fine, soft fibres or ± membranous to papery layers. Stem usually with 1 or 2(3) short, rigid, spreading branches. Leaves mostly 4 to 6, all with expanded blades, ± 2/3 to nearly as long as stem, linear to narrowly sword-shaped, mostly 2-5 mm wide, main vein and margins hyaline when alive (appearing thickened when dry). Spike closely 3-to 6(-8)-flowered, branches mostly 2-or 3-flowered; bracts membranous, translucent, sometimes dark at tips, 5.5-7.0 mm long, outer with only central vein prominent, 1-toothed or with a small tooth lateral to central tooth, inner 2-veined, acutely 2-toothed. Flowers upright, rotate, sulphur-yellow to white, rarely pale pink, with green to brown central zone up to ± 1/3 length of tepals, flushed red outside, unscented; perianth tube 5-9 mm long, filiform; tepals united basally for up to 1 mm, obovate, (12-)16-22 x (5-)7-10 mm, spreading ± horizontally when fully open. Filaments ± 2 mm long, ± coherent, usually dark green to brownish purple, rarely yellow; anthers 5-8 mm long, remaining erect or suberect, linear, yellow; pollen yellow. Style dividing opposite base to middle of filaments, green or yellow, branches 3.0-3.5 mm long, emerging between filaments.
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