Root tubers white, slightly grayish yellow, long fusiform. Stem solitary, erect, (8--)15--20 cm tall, with 2 lines of hairs. Proximal leaves usually 1 or 2 pairs, spatulate or oblanceolate, base attenuate into a petiole, apex obtuse; middle leaves lanceolate, 3--4 cm × 5--8 mm; distal leaves 2 or 3 pairs, decussate, approximate, broadly ovate, 3--6 × 1--2 cm, abaxially pilose at veins, adaxially glabrous, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Chasmogamic flowers axillary, solitary or in cymes; pedicel 1--2(--4) cm, pubescent; sepals 5, lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, abaxially pilose and ciliate; petals 5, oblong or obovate, 7--8 mm, margin entire, slightly toothed, or emarginate; stamens 10, shorter than petals; ovary ovoid; styles 3, slightly longer than stamens, stigmas capitate. Cleistogamic flowers axillary, pedicels short; sepals 4, pilose; petals absent; stamens 2; styles 3. Capsule ovoid, unsplit or 3-valved. Seeds brown, oblong-reniform or compressed orbicular, ca. 1.5 mm, tuberculate. Fl. Apr--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.
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An erect herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 5-20 cm high. The root tubers are long and narrow. They are 104 cm long by 4-5 mm wide. The leafy shoots emerge from the rootstock. The lower 3 or 4 nodes have opposite scales. The first 2 or 3 pairs of leaves are broadly sword shaped and 2-7 cm long by 3-6 mm wide then the uppermost 2 pairs of leaves grow close together. The flowers are of 2 types. Those at the top are white and upright. There are also flowers near the small lower bracts.
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