Herbs, monocarpic, 25-120 cm tall, covered for most part in soft golden or rufous hairs, overwintering as a large bud at ground level. Stem usually present, erect, or flowers scapose; when present with a whorl of bractlike leaves subtending flowers. Leaves mostly aggregated into a basal rosette, elliptic to oblanceolate, 14-40 × 2-5 cm, pinnately veined for most part, although base generally 3-veined, sometimes becoming glabrescent above, base narrowed into petiole, margin entire; middle and upper leaves similar to basal ones but generally smaller and shortly petiolate or sessile. Pedicel (or scape) to 45 cm, lengthening in fruit, spreading pubescent to subglabrous. Flowers often 6-9 (occasionally to 18), nodding to half-nodding (becoming gradually erect as flowers fade). Sepals oval, spreading pubescent. Petals 6-8, generally spreading widely apart, pale lemon-or sulphur yellow, oval to elliptic or elliptic-obovate, 5.5-10.5 cm. Stamens numerous; filaments of same color as petals, filiform; anthers yellow to orange-yellow. Ovary obovoid to ellipsoidal, densely to sparsely appressed hairy; styles distinct, 3-11 mm; stigmas rather narrow, stigmatic rays usually 7-10. Capsule obovoid to ellipsoidal, 2.5-3.5 × 0.8-1.2 cm, densely hairy to almost glabrous, 7-10-valvate. Fl. Jun-Aug.
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