Procumbent, perennial herb, 1-2.5 m high; stems stout, striate, slightly branched, green with reddish brown tinge at base; leaves narrowly lanceolate, 10-20 cm long, acuminate, tapering at base, glabrous, gland-dotted or not, dark brown, shining when dry; stipules ochreae membranous, rarely with short cilia, closely sheathing the stems; flowers in terminal, spiciform racemes, 5-10 cm long; bracts truncate, tip rounded, few-fid; perianth rose pink, not glandular, segments very variable, ovate or oblong, obtuse; stamens 6-8, included, style 2 rarely 3, free or connate at base, stigma capitate; nutlets or nut broadly ovoid or suborbicular compressed, biconvex, black, shining.