Rhizome short, with densely white-hairy roots. Leaves basal, tufted; petiole (6--)10--20(--28) cm; leaf blade oblanceolate-oblong, 15--25 × 2.5--3.5(--4.2) cm, thickly leathery, apex acute or mucronate. Scape 15--24 cm. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 9--12 cm, 15--35-flowered; bracts ovate to lanceolate, basal one 6--9 mm. Flowers usually in clusters of 2--4; pedicel 3--5 mm, articulate at middle. Tepals purplish, ovate to oblong, ca. 4 × 2 mm. Filaments ca. 1 mm; anthers ca. 3 mm. Style 3--4 mm, slender. Seeds ellipsoid to globose, ca. 9 mm in diam. Fl. Sep, fr. Oct--Nov. 2 n = 36*.

Dense forests, scrub forests, thickets, open grassy slopes; 1000--1600 m. W Guangxi, SE Yunnan [Vietnam].