The spire is strictly conic, or swollen and somewhat convex below, acuminate above, or sometimes constricted around the upper part of the body whorl.

The color of upper surface consists of longitudinal stripes or flames of brown, purplish, magenta, rose or coral red on a ground of white, corneous, pink or olive-tinted.

Sometimes the coloration consists of very narrow numerous radiating lines, usually broken into tessellations articulating the lirae.

The base of the shell is radiately painted with zigzag flames, or more frequently, narrow lines, either continuous or interrupted, often broken into a maculated or a finely tessellated pattern, sometimes unicolored lilac, or even white.

The heavy columella is subvertical or oblique, its margin irregularly dentate or nearly smooth, usually with a deep notch at its union with the basal lip.