Herbs terrestrial, 22-28 cm tall. Roots uniform, 10-15 per rhizome unit, at nodes and internodes, 8-13 cm X 0.5-1 mm. Rhizome a sympodium, 3-4 cm long, the individual units subspherical, densely connected, 4-8 mm in diam., stem scar on node conspicuous, orbicular, 3-4 mm in diam., internodes very short. Leafy stem upright, 16-18 cm, dark purple, densely pubescent; foliage leaves 5; internodes 1-2 cm, shorter apically. Leaf sessile or subsessile; blade deep green, leathery, above cordate to oblong, glabrous, apex shortly acute, base cordate, 3.6-4.3 X 2.3-3 cm, veins 21, densely ranked, conspicuous. Inflorescence ca. 10 cm, a cylindrical raceme with 24 flowers, fertile axis erect or arching upward, densely pubescent. Flowers 3-merous; pedicel 2-5 mm, densely pubescent, with a broad triangular bract; perianth maroon, cupuliform, ca. 4 mm in diam.; tepals oblong, cuspidate at apex, outer ca. 3 X 2 mm; inner longer ca. 4 X 2 mm; stamens 6, white, filaments short, ca. 1 mm, anthers ovate, ca. 1 mm; ovary conical, pubescent, 3-loculed, style inconspicuous, stigma 3-lobed. Fl. Jul. Fruit not seen.

* Wet sloping meadows by rivers; 3400-3600 m. Yunnan.

Name appeared after publication of the family treatment for the Flora of China.