Plants dwarf, 5--35 cm tall. Roots slightly fleshy, with small, globose, swollen, tuberous part 1.5--2 × 1--1.5 cm. Leaves linear, 6--28(--34) cm × 4--8 mm, base surrounded by fibrous remains of older leaves. Scape slender, hollow; sterile bracts absent. Inflorescence very short, a 1- or rarely 2-flowered helicoidal cyme; bracts lanceolate, 5--14(--25) × 3--4 mm. Pedicel 1--3 cm. Flowers opening during day. Perianth reddish orange or golden yellow, usually slightly purplish abaxially; tube short, 9--12(--13) mm; segments spreading, 5--7 cm, outer ones 0.5--0.6 cm wide, inner ones slightly wider than outer, 1.2--1.5 cm wide. Filaments 2.5--4 cm; anthers yellow, purple-black abaxially, ca. 9 mm. Capsule oblong, ca. 3 × 1.4 cm. Fl. Jun. 2 n = 22*.

* Stony grassy openings in alpine Pinus forests, forest margins, moist pastures, stony places; 2100--3400 m. NW Yunnan.