Tufted grass-like perennial, 45-60 cm high, basal leaves often lying flat in fans on the ground. Stems simple or branched above, winged, 2.5 mm wide, with a cauline leaf at each slightly swollen purple node. Leaves linear, ensiform, grass-like, to 20 cm × 5 mm, margins minutely serrulate, cauline leaves < or > internodes. Flowers 1-1.5 cm long, to 2 cm diam., in clusters of (2) -4-5 within ± equal spathe-valves, whitish-cream, internally with a 6-pointed purple star at throat, externally purple-striped above, pubescent below; lobes oblong with deltoid acute tip. Capsule c. 5 × 5 mm, glabrous, reddish-brown. Seeds ± 1 mm long, black, angled.