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Description:
Plants mostly 300–500 mm high. Corm subglobose, 15–30 mm diam., sometimes deep-seated; tunics of fine -textured fibres, extending into a thick, fibrous collar. Stem simple or with up to 2 suberect or weakly spreading branches. Leaves 5–8, ± erect, firm, compressed-cylindric or ± terete, (150–)200–300(–600) × 1–2(–3) mm, acute, striate with translucent veins when dry but without evident thickened main vein, sometimes as long as stem, cauline leaves dry and clasping, bract-like. Spike erect or arching, rather lax, (3–)6–10-flowered; bracts dry and papery, pale and translucent below and brown speckled dark brown at tips, outer (6–)10–15(–18) mm long, obtuse or ± 3-toothed with median tooth sometimes reduced, inner subequal, bifid. Flowers weakly zygomorphic, nodding, inverted, white to cream or pink to pale pink to rose-pink, darkly veined, unscented; perianth tube cylindric, curving outward, (20–)30–45(–55) mm long, slender, widening in upper 6–8 mm to 5–7 mm diam.; tepals subequal or outer, especially dorsal, wider, spreading, oblong to oblanceolate, (15–)20–25(–30) × (5–)7–10 mm but dorsal 8–14 mm wide, without calluses. Filaments unilateral, ± horizontal, (8–)15–20(–25) long, exserted; anthers 5–10 mm long, facing upward through inversion of flower, purple or cream; pollen violet or cream-white. Style dividing opposite upper 1/2 of anthers, branches 3–5 mm long. Capsules obovoid, 10–12 mm long. Flowering time: October to early December.
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