The bulbs are 20-25x20 mm., with brown papery tunics; they have a long neck about 4 cm long. The species is
hysteranthous.
Scape about 10 cm high, 2-edged, a little twisted, hollow (according to; solid according to ),
terete;
umbel two-flowered. Outermost leaf reduced to a
scarious sheath with a very short blade, inner leaves 2 or 3,
linear, fleshy,
glaucous, flat, just 2 mm wide and 20 cm long.
Spathe bracts two, free, but
appressed to the scape below their middle. The
pedicel is 1 cm, green; the
perianth has a short green tube, 5 mm, much shorter than the
tepal segments, spreading in six white tepals, 15 mm long and 2.5 mm wide,
linear-
lanceolate, a bit broadened below the apex, gradually
attenuate (narrowing) towards the base, subequal (nearly equal), keeled green on the
abaxial surface, keel formed by 3 closely spaced
veins. The
stamens are
biseriate, free, inserted at the
throat, 3 equaling the tepals, 3 shorter; filaments
filiform;
anthers dorsifixed (attached to the filaments at their middle),
oblong,
versatile, yellow;
style white, filiform, and terete.
Stigma captitate, obscurely 3-lobed.
Ovary with 3
locules;
ovules 5-6 per locule. Flowering period: late summer. Each flower lasts just one day. No scent. Grows in rock-fissures, a very sandy-gritty soil is needed in cultivation. No water in summer and very little in winter. In areas which experience frost a frost-free bulb frame or a greenhouse have to be used. Full sun. ==Taxonomy==