Bulb ovoid, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, tunic papery, brown, seometimes with a neck to 4.0 cm, woolly inside. Stem 10-15 cm, usually glabrous. Leaves 2, linear to oblong, 5-10 x 0.5-2.0 cm, glabrous or ciliate. Flowers 1-4. Tepals white, yellow at the base, oblong to lanceolate 17-30 x (4-) 5-6 (-12) mm, tinged with purplish green or yellowish green outside, hairy at the base. Filaments yellow, 6-9 mm, hairy at the base, anthers 2.0-4.5 mm, apiculate, tip often black. Ovary fusiform, style c. 1 mm. Capsule 1.5-2.0 cm, subgloboe to ellipsoid, shortly apiculate.

Fl.Per.: April-June.

Type: Described from S. Russia, Pallas, 3 syntypes (BM). (Marais l.c.).

Distribution: China (N and W Xinjiang), Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Pakistan, N. E. Africa (Egypt) S. W. Asia, S. E. Europe (Xinqi & H. V. Mordak l.c.).

Reported from Pakistan by Xinqi & H. V. Mordak in Zhengyi & P. H. Raven l. c. 125. 2002.