Plant 10-20 cm. Corm globose, 2 cm diam., with parallel-fibered tunic. Leaves 5-15, very narrow (1-2 mm wide), developed at flowering time. Flowers yellow, large, 5-7 cm long, appear in early spring. Fl -January, February in the wild, in St. Petersburg March-April for 20-30 days. Fr - May. Z 4.

Central Asia (mountains of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). On shallow gravelly soil in juniper stands.