Plants basally ± purple-brown. Rhizome tuberous, thick. Roots densely yellow-brown tomentose when young. Leaves basal, tufted, sessile, grasslike, 25--60 × 0.8--1.5 cm, margin membranous at base, serrulate distally; leaf tufts surrounded by many linear-lanceolate sheaths. Scape 30--35 cm. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 7--10 cm, 10--25-flowered; bracts lanceolate, slightly falcate, broadly membranous at margin, basal one 1.5--4 cm. Flowers in clusters of 2--4; pedicel 1--1.5 cm, articulate proximally. Tepals purplish red, 9--10 mm, outer ones ovate, inner ones lanceolate. Filaments very short; anthers ca. 5 mm. Style ca. 8 mm. Fl. Jul. 2 n = 36*.

* Dense forests, scrub forests, thickets along streams; 1100--2800 m. S Yunnan.