Roots 1--3 mm thick, white hairy, sometimes with tuberous part near tip. Stem rhizomelike, relatively short, more than 1 cm thick, with dense nodes. Leaves somewhat crowded and subterminal, subsessile, abaxially glaucous, suboblong, 20--30(--80) × (0.7--)1.4--2.2 cm, margin serrulate, membranous at base. Scape 18--28 cm. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 5--14 cm, more than 10-flowered; bracts lanceolate, basal one 1.2--1.5 cm. Flowers paired; pedicel 6--9 mm, articulate proximally. Tepals purplish, ovate, 6--7 × 2--3 mm, apex usually recurved or re-volute. Filaments very short; anthers 2.5--3 mm, connate. Style ca. 5 mm. Seeds ca. 10 × 8 mm. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Aug. 2 n = 36*.