The leaves of Chortolirion angolense twist spirally from the caudex base in characteristic fashion. The flowers are white to yellow. The plant is similar to the grass aloes and is described in the recent book by Craib on that subject.

The plant is found in South African summer rainfall grassland, e.g. in the northern Free State. Eponymous of Angola with which it was first associated in the literature, it also occurs in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe. It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family as do the aloes.