Herb, rootstock rhizomatous, very short, subterranean stem; leaves in rosette, thick, fleshy, radical, ensiform, slightly sheathing at base, truncate, margin spiny, apex gradually tapering into spine-tip, glaucous above, convex beneath; flowers pendulous, in simple, erect racemes, the lower flowers falling off as the raceme elongates; perianth dull red or reddish yellow, tubular, lobes-4 to 6, linear-oblong, connate below; stamens-6, filaments free or connate below, slender, shortly exserted, anthers oblong; ovary trigonous, 3-celled, few ovuled, style filiform, stigma minute, obscurely lobed; capsules ellipsoid, membranous, loculicidal; seeds many, black, angular.