Plants tufted, to c. 1.2 m high. Roots tuberous, tubers to c. 2 cm long, 3–5 cm from rootstock; base of plant sheathed by persistent leaf fibres. Leaves linear, flat or slightly channelled, 10–60 cm long, 1–10 mm wide. Inflorescence erect, usually branched. Flowers solitary in bract axils, deep pink or mauve, rarely blue, chocolate-scented, pedicels usually erect, to 35 mm long; perianth segments 6–14 mm long, spreading or slightly recurved, petals broader than sepals and with thin, undulate margins; stamens shorter than perianth segments, anthers purple, mostly with bright yellow appendages (but see note below). Capsule ovoid, c. 4–7 mm long. Seeds c. 2–3 mm long. Flowers mostly Oct.–Dec.