Bulbs clustered, subcylindric; tunic violet-brown, or blackish brown to grayish brown, membranous, irregularly splitting, apex sometimes subfibrous. Leaves subequaling scape, 1--2(--4) mm wide, smooth or scabrous along angles. Scape (20--)30--50(--65) cm, terete, finely angled, smooth or scabrous, covered with leaf sheaths only at base. Spathe 1-valved, persistent. Umbel subfascicled, laxly flowered. Pedicels unequal, especially in fruit, 1.5--3.5 cm, smooth or scabrous angled, ebracteolate. Perianth pale purple to purple-red; outer segments ovate-oblong to broadly so, 4--5 × 2--3 mm, apex obtuse; inner ones obovate-oblong, 4--5 × 2.2--3.2 mm, apex truncate to obtuse-truncate. Filaments ca. 2/3 as long as perianth segments, connate at base and adnate to perianth segments; outer ones subulate, sometimes slightly broadened at base, slightly shorter than inner; inner ones ovate-orbicular for ca. 2/3 their length, rarely with 1 small tooth on each side. Ovary ovoid-globose, without concave nectaries at base. Style not exserted. Fl. and fr. Jul--Sep.

Slopes, pastures, sandy places; near sea level to 2200 m. Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia].