Rhizomes creeping, clothed with brown, villous, scalelike sheaths. Pseudostems 1--2 m. Ligule ovate, ca. 1 cm; petiole 5--10 mm; leaf blade linear, 40--50 × 6--7 cm, glabrous. Spikes ovoid, 6--8 × 3--4 cm; peduncle very short, clothed with 2-ranked, scalelike sheaths; outer bracts imbricate, ovate-deltoid, 3--5 × 3--4 cm, leathery, densely brown villous, inner ones lanceolate, membranous; bracteoles linear, ca. 2.5 cm. Flowers unknown. Capsule oblong or ellipsoid, 2--2.5 × 1.2--1.6 cm, with conspicuous, fibrous lines when dry, apex with persistent, villous calyx 4--4.5 cm; pericarp thin. Seeds numerous. Fr. Apr--Jul.

* Dense forests. Guangdong, Hainan.