Robust summer-green perennial. Corm large, rotund to flattened, with coarsely fibrous tunic, fibres linear or reticulate. Leaves both basal and cauline, broadly ensiform, distichous, equitant, usually tough and fibrous. Inflorescence spicate or shortly branched. Flowers many, large, distichous, usually zygomorphic, white, pink, mauve or red, each within 2 stiff striate spathe-valves with variable apices; tube curved, narrow-cylindric below, broadly or narrowly funnel-shaped above; lobes subequal, spreading, usually < tube. Stamens usually asymmetric. Style-branches 3, shortly bifid. Capsule oblong. Seeds many, winged. Spp. 60-70 of S. Africa and 1 from Madagascar. Adventive spp. 4.