Deciduous geophyte, 1.0–1.5 m tall. Leaves in a basal fan, lance-shaped and strongly pleated, mostly 35–50 mm wide, reaching to the base of the flowering spike. Stem erect or more usually inclined, zig-zag with with 3 to 6, strongly spreading branches (these sometimes also branched). Flower spikes arching outwards ± horizontally or slightly deflexed, with 18–25 flowers in two rows on the upper side; floral bracts leathery, purplish green and drying from the tips, the outer 6–10 mm long. Flowers strongly two-lipped, deep orange to red, sometimes flushed brownish outside, the lower three tepals with a dark red median streak extending down the tube, ± trumpet-shaped; floral tube narrow below abruptly expanded into a cylindrical upper part, curved, 33–40(–50) mm long; upper tepal largest, extending horizontally, ovate, 14–18 × 8–10 mm, other tepals spreading, 10–11 × 4–6 mm, upper lateral and lower median tepals triangular. Stamen filaments arching beneath the upper tepal, 25–40 mm long. Style dividing opposite the anthers, with 3 slender braches, each forked ± halfway. Capsules subglobose and 3-lobed, slightly rough textured. Seeds ovoid-angular, 1 to 3 per chamber, ± 3 mm in diameter, dark reddish brown.