Stem prostrate, distally ascending, elongate, ca. 4 mm thick, covered with grayish brown sheaths, proximally with some white-hairy roots. Leaves in distal tufts, 8--12 per tuft, sessile, grasslike, 4--35 cm × 4--6 mm, margin membranous at base. Scape arising from an apical leaf axil, 13--19 cm. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 10--25-flowered; bracts setiform, ca. 1 cm, basal one to 3.5 cm. Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2--4; pedicel 2--3 mm. Tepals purplish, oblong to subelliptic, ca. 2.5 × 1.5 mm. Filaments short; anthers ca. 2 mm. Style ca. 3 mm, slender. Seeds ellipsoid to globose, 8--10 mm in diam. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Aug--Oct. 2 n = 36*.

* Forests, hillsides along ravines; 800--1800 m. S Yunnan.