Perennial herb, 2-2.5 m high. the whole plant has a pungent odor. Stem base expanded, up to 6cm in diam. Leaves in 2 series, 11-14, sessile, or upper leaves shortly petiolate; ligule purplish, 1-2cm long, membranous, sparsely pilose; leaf sheaths striate, ligule and leaf sheath margins subleathery; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 20-83cm long, 5-19cm wide, apex long acuminate, base cuneate, entire, both surfaces glabrous. Scape drawn from stem base, long acuminate, base cuneate, entire, both surfaces glabrous. Scape drawn from stem base, 13-28 cm long; pedicel 4-13 cm long; scales broadly ovate, 1-8 cm long; spikes 9-15 cm long; bracts light red, oblong, 3.3-4 cm long, 7-9 mm wide, outside sparsely pubescent; bracteoles tubular, 1.7-2 cm long, 2-lobed; outside sparsely pubescent; flowers light orange, 5.5-7 cm long; pedicel not more than 5 mm long; bracteoles tubular, 1.7-2 cm long, 2-lobed; outside sparsely pubescent. pedicel not more than 5mm long; calyx 2.3-3cm long, 3-lobed, lobed on one side, subglabrous or sparsely pubescent; corolla tube 2.5-2.8cm long, pubescent, lobes oblong, ca. 2.3cm long, ca. 6mm wide, the posterior one cucullate, ca. 2.5cm long, ca. 1.5cm wide; labellum oblong-obovate, 3-3.5cm long, ca. 1.6cm wide, margins wrinkled, with a red stripe on each side of the midvein; stamens 2-2.5cm long, filaments ca. 1cm, anthers 1.3-1.5cm, connective appendages ca. 5mm long, with erose teeth; style sparsely short hairy, stigma funnelform; ovary glabrous. Capsule dark purple at maturity, subglobose, 2.5-4.5cm long, 2-2.5cm in diameter, olive-shaped when dry, black-brown, apex with a remnant of the perianth tube, base shortly stalked. Seeds numerous. Flowering April-May, fruiting August-September.