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Leaves few, the lower 2–3 membranous and sheathing the stem base (cataphylls); foliage leaves contemporaneous with flowers, 2–4, more or less plicate or folded, usually with at least two major veins and lacking a distinct midrib, the lowermost larger than the others, the upper laminate and more or less entirely stem sheathing (or leaves of the flowering shoot elaminate and sheathing, with laminate foliage leaves then sometimes produced on separate shoots after flowering).
Inflorescence spikes with many flowers per axis; floral bracts firm-textured, short, dry at the apex only or becoming dry and rust-coloured throughout, the outer bract acute, the inner bilobed, slightly shorter to slightly longer than the inner.
Flowers zygomorphic, relatively small; tepals united in a short tube, unequal, linear-spathulate, obtuse, the upper tepal much exceeding the others and arched over the stamens, the lower 3 smallest and channelled.
Perennial herbs with globose Corms, aerial parts dying back annually; corms with membranous to fibrous tunics.
Seeds globose to ellipsoid, glossy, with an obscurely reticulate surface, 1 or rarely 2 per locule.
Capsule globose-trigonous (but often only with 2 or 1 locule developed).
Style arching over the stamens, undivided, stigmatic at the apex.
Stem terete, often with several diverging branches.
Stamens unilateral and arcuate.
