Hypoxis spicata Thunberg in Murray, Syst. Veg., ed. 14, 326. 1784; Aletris japonica Lambert (1811), nom. illeg. (included Hypoxis spicata), not Houttuyn (1780) nor Thunberg (1780); A. spicata var. micrantha Satake.

Leaves numerous, densely tufted, linear, 5--30 cm × 2--4(--5) mm. Scape 15--70 cm. Raceme 5--35 cm, laxly 10--80-flowered; rachis densely pubescent. Flowers subsessile; pedicel absent to 1(--2) mm, densely pubescent; bract and bracteole borne on distal part of pedicel, linear-lanceolate, proximally pubescent; bract 4--8 mm, shorter than or equaling flower (sometimes a few bracts at base of raceme to 2 × flower length, rarely all bracts exceeding flowers), apex acute. Perianth white, yellowish white, or yellowish green, sometimes striped or apically tinged pink, 4--7 mm, densely pubescent, rarely sparsely so; tube oblong-urceolate; lobes ± erect, linear-lanceolate, 1.5--3 × ca. 0.5 mm, usually ca. 1 × tube length or shorter, apex acute. Capsule turbinate, obovoid, or oblong-obovoid, distinctly angular, 3--5 × 2--3 mm, abruptly constricted distally when dehisced, apex of valves ± gradually narrowed; style ca. 1 mm; stigma not or only slightly thickened. Fl. Mar--Aug, Nov, fr. May--Aug. 2 n = 26, 52*.

Forests, thicket margins, scrub, grasslands, streamsides, roadsides; 100--2900 m. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan (including Ryukyu Islands), ?N Malaysia, Philippines (Luzon)].