Herbs perennial, bulbiferous. Bulbs subglobose to ovoid; tunic brown to black-brown. Leaves appearing before or after anthesis, ligulate. Flowering stem erect, simple, solid. Umbel terminal, 4--8-flowered; involucres 2, membranous. Perianth white, creamy, gold, pink, or bright red, funnelform; lobes oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, margin sometimes undulate; ring of 6 perianthal scales or fimbriae sometimes present at throat of tube. Stamens inserted at throat of perianth tube; filament filiform; anther versatile. Ovary with few ovules. Style slender; stigma capitate, very small. Fruit a capsule, 3-valved, usually 3-angled, loculicidal. Seeds black, subglobose.

About 20 species: China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam; 15 species (ten endemic) in China.