plant gray and reddish-pink scurfy, 1 - 3 dm tall, the stems few or many together leaves basal ones erect or ascending with the very slender tips straight or curved. leaves: blade with a 'v'-shaped upper face; peduncle bracts with erect or appressed, elongate almost filiform but stiff quill-like tips, the upper ones often reddish-pink floral bracts reddish-pink tinged. flowers: petals violet, about 4 cm long. fruits rather slender about 2.5 cm long.Edited from : Man Southeast Fl. 270. 1503. (1933)