© Werner Eigelsreiter (Photo ID #7272)
General:
Perennial herb from a deep, papery-scaled, egg-shaped bulb; flowering stems erect, 20-50 cm tall, stout, usually unbranched, smooth, sometimes with bulblets in the axils of the leaves.
Leaves:
Stem leaves alternate, few to several, linear, channeled, grass-like, to 50 cm long, decreasing in size up the stem, smooth, glaucous, curled at the tips sheathing at the base, the margins entire; basal leaves 5-10 cm long, withering.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1 to 3, terminal, erect, stalked flowers, above 2 or more very slender, unequal bracts; flowers pink to purple, rarely white, broadly bell-shaped; petals 3, distinct, narrowly egg-shaped, 3-4.5 cm long, green-striped longitudinally on the outside, on the inside bearded with slender hairs and sometimes purple-banded above a basal, arrowhead-shaped, densely hairy nectar gland; sepals narrowly lanceolate with long slender tip, 4-5 cm long, generally longer than the petals, smooth; stamens 6, anthers blunt; pistil 1, 3-chambered.
Fruits:
Capsules, narrowly lanceolate, 4-5.5 cm long; 3-angled, erect; seeds many, straw-coloured, flattened, with loose-fitting coats.