Rhizomes 1.5--3 mm in diam., slender. Pseudostems 30--150 cm. Ligule 2-lobed, 3--13 mm, villous; petiole very short; leaf blade lanceolate, 4--30 × 2--5 cm, adaxially glabrous, abaxially sparsely appressed villous, base cuneate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences arising from rhizomes, narrowly ovoid, 4.5--7 × 1.5--2 cm, 7--12-flowered; peduncle 5--14 cm, clothed with lanceolate, scalelike sheaths 3--5 cm; bracts deep purple, lanceolate, 4--4.5 × 1--1.2 cm, abaxially villous; bracteoles lanceolate, 3.2--3.5 × ca. 1.2 cm, apex 2-lobed. Flowers white, abaxially villous. Calyx ca. 2.5 cm, apex subtruncate. Corolla tube 3--3.7 cm; lobes lanceolate, hoodlike, 2.6--3 cm × ca. 7 mm. Labellum white, ca. 3 cm; central lobe broadly ovate, ca. 2 cm, apex emarginate or rounded; lateral lobes deltoid, 4--8 mm, apex acute. Filament very short; anther ca. 1.5 cm; connective appendage ca. 1.5 cm. Ovary densely villous. Capsule red. Fl. Aug--Sep. fr. Oct--Nov.