Rhizomes shortly creeping, thick. Leaves grayish green and dull on 1 surface, yellow-green and glossy on other, linear, 11--50 cm × 2--7 mm, midvein absent, base surrounded by persistent fibers. Flowering stems 8--45 cm × 2--3 mm, hollow, 1--3-leaved; spathes 3, green, slightly reddish purple at margin, lanceolate, 5.5--7 × 1--1.2 cm, (1 or)2-flowered, apex acuminate. Flowers yellow, 6.5--7 cm in diam.; pedicel 2--5 cm. Perianth tube ca. 1.3 cm; outer segments obovate, with purple-brown stripes and spots, claw with inconspicuous auricles; inner segments erect. Stamens ca. 3 cm; anthers brown-yellow. Ovary ca. 2 cm. Style branches pale yellow, 4--4.5 × 1.4--1.6 cm. Capsule ellipsoid, 4--4.5 × 1.5--1.8 cm, 6-ribbed, apex shortly beaked. Seeds semiorbicular. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Jul--Aug. 2 n = 40.

Marshes in Pinus forests, hillsides, meadows, streamsides; 3000--4000 m. Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Myanmar].