Plants perennial, 50(--90) cm tall. Rhizome brownish yellow, ca. 1.5 mm in diam. Stems terete, 2.5--3 mm in diam. Basal leaves 3, cauline leaf 1; leaf sheath to leaf blade transition not distinct, auricles absent; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, flat, 20--50(--70) cm × (6--)7--9 mm, with many minute spots abaxially and at margin, veins 16--22, apex acuminate. Inflorescences strict, usually branched; branches 3, erect or ascending; involucral bract leaflike, flat, to 26 cm × ca. 6 mm; heads 15--19, 5--12-flowered; bracts several subtending each head, lanceolate, 3-veined. Bracteole 1 subtending each flower, lanceolate, shorter than flower. Perianth segments yellowish green to sometimes pale purplish, lanceolate, veins 3, apex acute; outer segments 5--7 mm; inner segments 4.5--6.5 mm. Stamens 6; filaments 1.5--2 mm; anthers 1.4--1.6 mm. Ovary ovoid. Style 1--1.5 mm; stigmas blackish brown, linear, 1.5--2.5 mm. Capsule dark brown, ovoid to oblong, subequaling perianth, apex tapered into a mucro. Seeds ca. 3.5 mm, sawdustlike. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.

* Trail sides on mountain slopes, ravine margins; ca. 3200 m. Sichuan.