An erect or assurgent, glabrous, leafy, terrestrial or epiphytic, alpine herb; stem 5 mm. thick downward when dry, ascending to 20-30 cm., internodes 1-3 cm. long, nodes rather prominent; leaves alternate, elliptic-oblanceolate, apex sharp-acuminate, minutely hirtellous, base cuneate-decurrent, 3-4.5 cm. wide X 10-13 cm. long, pinnately nerved, the nerves 5-6 on each side of the prominent midrib, drying submembranous, translucent, faintly but densely pellucid-dotted; petiole very short, broadly winged to the base by the decurrent blade, the wings clasping the stem; spikes 1 mm. thick X 3-5 cm. long, in umbels of usually 3-5 spikes in the axil of a lanceolate bract, the umbels alternately arranged in an open, divaricate, paniculate, axillary inflorescence eventually up to 15 cm. or more long, the basal part to the first umbel up to 7 cm. long in anthesis; peduncle of individual spike 5-10 mm. long; floral bracts round-peltate; fruit ellipsoidal, rostrate, stigma at the base of the elongate beak.
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