leaves densely rosulate, to 8 dm long, the inner red when flowering; sheath elliptic, castaneous, to 25 mm wide; blade linear, acuminate, 8 to 12 mm wide, coriaceous, rigid, serrate with antrorse, 1 to 2 mm long spines. inflorescence: peduncle very short; peduncle bracts subfoliaceous, serrate, red in life; fertile part densely once-branched, ovoid to ellipsoid, 8 to 12 cm long, 6 to 10 cm in diameter; primary bracts entire, nerved, lanceolate to lance-ovate, acute with a small terminal mucro, 35 to 55 mm long, 15 to 25 mm wide, farinose-lepidote, very pale pink in life; spikes dense, distichously 3–5-flowered, the upper flower usually aborted; floral bracts entire, nerved, broadly ovate, navicular, apiculate, obscurely carinate, to 20 mm long, 30 mm wide, much exceeding the ovary, sparsely lepidote, pale green in life. flowers: sepals free, entire, asymmetrical, alate-carinate, 20 mm long exclusive of the 4 mm long mucro; petals naked, to 27 mm long, lavender-blue. pistil: ovary ellipsoid, 7 mm long, alate, pale green; epigynous tube short.Edited from : Luther 1980c. (protologue) A Streptocalyx from Eastern Ecuador .