Descr. Bulb globose, an inch and a half in diameter, 
the neck crowned with long bristles and the brown tunics 
splitting up more or less into parallel fibres. Produced 
distichous roof-leaves usually four to a stem, ensiform, 
acute, rigidly coriaceous, glabrous, attaining a breadth of 
an inch or more at the middle, about a foot long, with the 
margins and main nerves much thickened. Stem about a 
foot long below the spike, sheathed with three or four 
reduced leaves. Spike dense, six to twelve-flowered, 
reaching a length of half a foot. Spathe-valves green and 
moderately firm in texture at the flowering time, lanceolate, 
the outer one much the largest, two or three inches long. 
Ovary small, oblong; perianth-tube curved, an inch or 
rather less long; limb about as long as the tube, the three 
upper segments ovate or oblong, subobtuse, the three 
lower smaller and unguiculate. Stamens inserted at the 
throat of the tube not more than half as long as the 
segments; filaments very short, the cuneate stigmas just 
overtopping the anthers.—J. G. Baker. 
Fig. 1, Stigmas and summit of the style; 2, a single stamen :—both magnified. 
