A holoparasite (a plant that relies on a host for all of its nutritional requirements), tuberous plant, occurring in groups, up to 25cm. Orange to purple flowers are crowded in a cylindrical spike with the tubular male flowers above. At emergence the entire inflorescence consists of female flowers only, but as the spike elongates the male flowers which have spoon-shaped bracts are differentiated at the top. In this way cross-pollination is ensured. Only the flower spike appears above the ground. The seeds are dispersed by ants.