Erect perennial, to 1 m high. Rhizome slender, hard, woody, c. 5 mm diam., with some roots becoming fleshy. Stems purplish and sometimes woody below with short, acute, membranous bracts, green and leafy above. Leaves thin, ± glaucous below, c. 6-13 × 0.5-2 cm, narrow-linear to lanceolate to ± elliptic, many-nerved, midrip ± indistinct, petiole short, narrow, twisted, with short sheath. Umbel compound, with 3-6 primary rays c. 5 cm long, each ultimate branch bearing 1-3 flowers, bases of primary and secondary rays with bract-like leaves similar to, and not much shorter or narrower than foliage leaves. Flowers c. 5 cm long, 1.5-3 cm diam., bright yellow with reddish markings; segments free, clawed, outer oblong, reddish-tinged towards green obtuse tip, inner slightly longer and much narrower than outer, acute, 2 upper with red-purple streaks. Capsule c. 2 × 1.5 cm, longitudinally 6-ribbed, with smooth apiculate cap.