Stems coarse, flexuous, 5–10 dm. Leaves not recurved. Flowers: petals deep yellow, longer than sepals, hairs very knobby; glands shallowly to moderately depressed; anthers deep purple.

Flowering late spring--mid summer. Usually on serpentine soils; 0--1300 m; Calif.

Calochortus clavatus var. clavatus is restricted to the southern outer Coast Range.