Japan Flora: Slender white saprophytic herb, 5-15 cm. high from subglobose rhizomes; stems simple; scalelike leaves lanceolate, acute, appressed, 1.5-4 mm. long, the bracts about 3 mm. long, resembling the scalelike leaves; flowers 2-10, nearly sessile, in a dense headlike inflorescence, white, 3-ribbed, 6-10 mm. long, the outer perianth-lobes erect, about 1.5 mm. long, deltoid, acute, the inner lobes erect, spathulate, rounded at apex; capsule obovate-orbicular, about 2.5 mm. long.  Aug.-Oct. Woods in mountains.

Honshu (centr. distr. and westw.)3 Shikoku, Kyushu. s. China, Malaysia to Ceylon.