An unusual African plant with an upright growing rhizome topped with a tuft of grass-like leaves. Native to Eastern Africa, from Yemen to South Africa and Namibia in rocky grasslands, often in frequent fire zones and is considered a pyrophyte. The plants grow in full sun on well drained soils from sands to degraded granite, producing tall spikes with white flowers in Fall in the northern hemisphere. The unbranched caudex-like stem can reach two inches thick and a foot long. This is a member of the Anthericaceae, a relative of Agaves and Yuccas.