plant younger portions scurfy-tomentose; stem 7–8 dm; long, slender, from a very stout base, dark-purpie, terete. leaves proper all basal, 3–5 dm; long, linear, broadest (about 3 cm.) above the middle, the lower portion very narrow, dark-purple, spiny-toothed, the teeth about 3 mm; long, divergent or slightly recurved, the very base of the leaf abruptly dilated into a very broad sheath; bracts of the stem lanceolate, rigid, closely sheathing, long-acuminate and acute. inflorescence slightly paniculate, the bracts 1 cm; or less long, similar to those of the culm. flowers: pedicel about 1 cm; long, spreading; sepals over 2 cm long, the tube nearly as broad as long, the segments tapering, rigid, keeled; corolla twice the length of the calyx, strongly recurved.Edited from : Rusby 1907. (protologue) An enumeration of the Plants Collected in Bolivia by Miquel Bang. Part 4* - With Descriptions of New Gerera and Species .