Erect, unbranched, cormous geophyte up to 90cm. Leaves lanceolate to linear, 3-6 veined and usually dry at flowering. Flowers in dense, more or less two-ranked spike arranged spirally, tubular, salmon-pink to red; flower tube 25-30mm long, tepals unequal, dorsal largest, lower tepals often with dark streaks; bracts green or becoming dry.

Pollinated by long-proboscid fly, Table Mountain Beauty butterfly and possibly sunbirds.

Common name Karkarblom is onomatopoeic and refers to the sound produced by the rubbing together of the dry leaves.