A rhizomatous herb, 0.6—1(—2) m tall, stems compressed, rigid, unbranched; rhizomes branching, white, 6—10 mm thick, scales 2—8 cm long, roots fibrous, long, profusely branched, with a particular smell, brown. Leaves rosulate at base, distichous on stem, narrowly elliptical to narrowly lanceolate, 30—60 cm x 2—3 cm, rigid, base keeled, compressed, sheathing, apex acute, margins rough, parallel-veined. Inflorescence a terminal loosely cymose panicle, 30—60 cm long, exceeding the leaves, peduncle 30—75 cm long, ribbed, flexible when young, bracts ovate-lanceolate, 5—10 mm long, base sheathing, bracteoles 2—5 mm long, deltoid; flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, pedicel 6—12 mm long, jointed just beneath the flower, decurved or not; perianth segments free, in 2 groups of 3, subequal, narrowly ovate, 7—8 mm long, shortly apiculate, pale purplish-blue, sometimes white or yellowish, 5—7-veined, outer segments greenish beneath, spreading at anthesis; stamens 6, filaments 2 mm long, white, dilated at apex into an irregularly lobed structure, 1—2 mm long, bright yellow to orange, topped by the basifixed anther, oblong, 3 mm long, yellowish brown, opening by longitudinal slits; ovary superior, 3-locular, style filiform, 2—4 mm long, stigma minutely papillose. Fruit a fleshy berry, 9—15 mm in diameter, blue-purple and shiny when ripe, 3—4-seeded. Seed ovoid, 5 mm long, shortly beaked, smooth, black, shiny.

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Applied as an ointment for boils, itch, jaundice, herpes sores and rheumatism (roots and leaves); applied to wounds (leaves); taken internally for dysentery, dysuria, leucorrhoea and blenorrhoea and applied externally in pounded form to scrofulous glands and chronic infections of the skin (whole plant); to treat fatigue (infusion of stem).