plant caulescent 8–28 cm high, with stems erect or recurving downward; stem 1.0–1.5 cm in diam. leaves polystichously arranged along the stem, 20–60 per stem; curved and reflexed downward, the old and dry ones remaining on the stem; sheath oblong, 1.0–1.5 cm long, 0.8–1.0 cm wide, basally glabrous on the adaxial surface and apically lepidote, abaxia1ly lepidote, amplexicaul, margins entire, only serrate in the upper 1/4; blade narrowly triangular, acute and long acuminate, 10–17 cm long; 0.6–0.8 cm wide, channeled and glabrous adaxially, light green, white-lepidote abaxially, margins serrate, spines ca 1 mm long; 2 mm apart, antrorse. inflorescence nidular; primary bracts similar to the leaves in shape, texture, and indument on both surfaces, 2–4 cm long, 0.4–0.6 mm wide; fascicles 1.0–1.5 cm long excluding petals, usually 2- to 5-flowered; floral bracts widely triangular, acute and acuminate, cucullate, 14 mm long; 7 mm wide, glabrous adaxially, apically lepidote on abaxial surface, basally glabrous, margins entire, apex minutely serrate, only apically lepidote. flowers 15 mm long, apparently all hermaphroditic; sepals 9–10 mm long, connate by 4 mm, free lobes 4–5 mm long, 2.4–2.5 mm wide, widely triangular, acute and short acuminate, margins entire; petals widely elliptic, 15–16 mm long, 3.5–4.0 mm wide. stamens: filament 8 mm long; anther 4 mm long; dorsifixed. pistil: ovary trigonous, 4.0–4.5 mm long; style 14–15 mm long; stigma with 3 semicircular lobes, connate and forming a flat stigmatic area, margins minutely fimbriate; placentation apical; ovules ca 16 per locule, obtuse. fruits unknown.Edited from : Harvard Pap. Bot.. .