Dracaena ensifolia Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 2: 246; Mant. Pl. 1: 63. 1767; Dianella ensifolia f. albiflora Tang S. Liu & S. S. Ying; D. ensifolia f. racemulifera (Schlitter) Tang S. Liu & S. S. Ying; D. nemorosa Lamarck; D. nemorosa f. racemulifera Schlitter.

Rhizome creeping, 5--8 mm thick. Leaves sword-shaped, gradually narrowed at both ends, 30--80 × 1--2.5 cm, leathery, midvein abaxially and margin usually scabrous, apex obtuse. Scape 1--2 m, with several bractlike stem leaves 3--8 cm. Pan-icle laxly branched, 10--40 cm, usually with flowers borne distally. Pedicel 0.7--2 cm, usually arcuate. Tepals spreading, white, greenish white, yellowish, or bluish purple, linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 6--7 × 3--3.5 mm. Stamens shorter than tepals; filaments geniculate near middle, dilated distally. Style ca. 6 mm. Berries deep blue, subglobose, ca. 6 mm in diam., 5- or 6-seeded. Fl. and fr. Mar--Aug. 2 n = 32*.

Forests, grassy slopes; near sea level to 1700 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, S Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa (Madagascar), E Australia, Pacific Islands].