Plants densely tufted, with small growing point. Roots swollen, fusiform, tuberous. Leaves linear, slightly curved, 9--19 cm × 2--5 mm at anthesis, to 30 × 1 cm in fruit, stiff, thickened veins 2 on 1 surface, 1 on other, base surrounded by brown fibers, apex finely acuminate. Flowering stems simple, not developed or to 4 cm; spathes 3, green, lanceolate, 2--4-flowered, longest one 2--6 cm. Flowers dark violet, 2--7 cm in diam. Perianth tube pale green, 3--10 cm, slender; outer segments oblanceolate, 3--5.2 × 0.7--1.3 cm, limb spreading, with white streaks radiating from a central, yellow, fimbriate crest; inner segments spreading, sometimes streaked white at base of limb, narrowly oblanceolate, 2.7--5 × 0.6--1 cm. Stamens ca. 2 cm; anthers cream. Style branches 3--4 cm; terminal lobes erect. Capsule ellipsoid, 2--2.5 × ca. 1.2 cm. Seeds pyriform, arillate. Fl. May--Jul, fr Sep.

* Grassy plateaus; 2400--3600 m. Yunnan.