Leaf 100–260 × 7–20 mm, often thin-textured, flat, dark green, often suffused with reddish purple. Flower stem 250–600 × 1–3.5 mm, 2–20-flowered. Sterile bracts usually 2. Flowers 12–22 mm across, purplish blue to purplish, rarely pink or white. Sepals and petals 6–12 × 3–6 mm. Column 4–5.5 × 2–3 mm, pale blue or pale pink; post-anther lobe 2.5–3 × 1.5–2.2 mm, dark brown, reddish orange, yellow or black, gently curved, tubular, not inflated, hooded, entire or deeply slit; column arms converging, 0.7–1 mm long, curved gently upwards; hair-tufts mop-like, white, hairs 0.6–1 mm long, covering apex of post-anther lobe.
Widespread and common; found growing in open forest, woodland, heathy forest and heathland in dry to wet sand and clay loam; also colonises disturbed sites.
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