A caulescent, glabrous herb. Leaves radical, grass-like, linear, 10-35 cm long, 5-10 mm broad, setose-acute. entire, 5-7 (-9)-nerved, membranous. Flowers bisexual, solitary. Spathe 4-6 (-10) cm long, lobes obtuse; peduncles as long as or longer than leaves, terete. Sepals linear, (6-) 7-15 mm long, ± cucullate at apex. Petals 1.5-2 cm long. Stamens 3, filaments 3-6 mm long, with c. 1-2 mm long, linear anthers. Ovary as long as spathe, with up to 10 cm long rostrum; styles 6-10 mm long. Furit linear, 3-6 cm long. Seeds elliptic, 1-2 mm long, with 8 longitudinal rows of obscure tubercles or smooth, not tailed at the ends.

Fl. Per.: December-January.

Holotype: Madagascar (Malagasy), sine loc., Aubert du Petit-Thouars (P).

Distribution: Madagascar, Pakistan, India, Burma, Malaysia. Korea, Japan, New Guinea, N. Australia, Mozambique; introduced in U.S.A.