Plants 40-100 cm high, stems usually simple, rarely with a single branch, sheathed basally by membranous cataphylls. Corm ± 10 mm diam., tunics of fine, netted fibres. Leaves 2(3), lower 1(2) with narrowly sword shaped to linear blade with single prominent vein, ± 1/2 as long as stem, 1.5-6.5 mm wide, margins thickened and slightly raised, hyaline when dry; upper leaf sheathing lower 1/2 of stem, free and unifacial distally. Spike erect, fairly lax, weakly flexuose or straight, 4-8-flowered; bracts membranous, translucent, purple at tips, ± 4 mm long, outer usually with 3 prominent veins and 3-toothed, inner 2-veined and forked at apex. Flowers ± nodding with tepals held vertically, zygomorphic with stamens unilateral, bright pink (rarely pale pink), white at tepal bases, unscented; perianth tube filiform, ± 4.5 mm long, tightly clasping style; tepals spreading, ovate-elliptic, (10-)12-14 x 5-6 mm, inner whorl slightly larger than outer. Stamens unilateral, filaments inserted at mouth of tube, filiform, ± 2.5 mm long, white, anthers oblong, 2.0-2.5 mm long, yellow, horizontal or slightly pendent, thecae acute and slightly recurved at base, dehiscing incompletely from base by narrow slits. Style dividing opposite lower 1/3 of filaments, branches ± 1.3 mm long, white, tubular, falcate, stigmatic apically. Flowering time: mid-Aug.-mid-Oct.
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Plants 400-700 mm high. Corm ± 10 mm diam., tunics of fine, netted fibres. Stem usually simple, rarely with a single branch. Leaves 2(3), lower 1(2) with narrowly sword-shaped to linear blade with single prominent vein, ± 1/2 as long as stem, 1.5-6.5 mm wide, margins thickened and slightly raised, hyaline when dry; upper leaf sheathing lower 1/2 of stem, with short, unifacial tip. Spike fairly lax, weakly flexuose or straight, 4-to 8-flowered; bracts membranous, translucent, purple at tips, ± 4 mm long, outer usually 3-veined and 3-toothed, inner 2-veined and forked at apex. Flowers ± nodding with tepals inclined in nearly vertical plane, zygomorphic with stamens unilateral, bright (rarely pale) pink, tepal bases white, unscented; perianth tube filiform, ± 4.5 mm long, tightly clasping style; tepals spreading, ovate-elliptic, (10-)12-14 x 5-6 mm, inner whorl slightly larger than outer. Filaments unilateral, inserted at mouth of tube, ± 2.5 mm long, white; anthers oblong, 2.0-2.5 mm long, yellow, horizontal or slightly pendent, thecae acute and slightly recurved at base, dehiscing incompletely from base. Style dividing opposite lower 1/3 of filaments, branches ± 1.3 mm long, white, tubular, falcate.