Bulbous plant 30-60 cm. Bulbs ovate, brown-yellow, 3-5 cm diam., with 1-2 scales. Leaves numerous, evenly distributed along stem, alternate, broadly lanceolate, more rarely elliptic, 10-12 cm x 2-4 cm. Flowers 10-20, in loose cymes, greenish-brown to dark brown, 3.5-4.5 cm long, 1.0-1.5 cm broad, campanulate. Tips of perianth lobes deflexed. V - early spring to mid summer, in St. Petersburg April to June. Fl - May for 3 weeks. Fr - July. P - by seed (flowers in 4 years) or by division (daughter bulbs). Prefers sunny places with well-drained soil, slightly shade-tolerant. In cultivation since 1874, introduced by the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden. Z 4. Poorly known in horticulture.

Central Asia (western Tien Shan, Pamiro Alay). Steppe slopes, rocks, juniper forests, among bushes in mountains from 1,000 to 3,000 m.