Plants of the lower belt of mountains, mainly single, leaves thin, 10-20 cm long. Bulb obliquely-dro p-shaped, 7-10 mm diameter, covered by densely-coriaceous, brown-black tunics (not forming a neck), in juvenile specimens with sclerified roots, in generative period without sclerified roots. Vegetative bulbils in small group are formed annually, cellular, basal bulbil large, semi-dro p-shaped, sister bulbils oblong, roundish or faceted, all with a vertical white strip indicating the region of attachment. Peduncle 6-10 cm long, roundish in T.S., c. 1 mm in diameter. Basal leaf single, longer than the inflorescence, linear, in T.S. tru ncate-roundish, solid, c. 1 mm in diameter. Leaves on peduncle alternate, gradually decreasing, lower shorter or longer than the inflorescence, oblanceolate-linear, 2-3 mm broad at the base, gradually ending in a long cylindrical tip. Inflorescence paniculate, friable, 3-9-flowered. Tepals white, pale yellow or yellow, 9-11 mm long, about 1 mm broad, external tepals shorter, internal rounded at the top. Ovary oblong, stipitate. Capsule oblong, stipitate, about half the length of the perianth. Seeds brown, fine-meshed, thickly-flat, lobule-form, sometimes faceted.

Fl. Per.: April-May

Lectotype (designated here): [N.W. Iran, 35°31'N, 49°11'E] Persia, Mt. Karaghan, ad Schurab, Th. Pichler (K! cum isotypes, isotypes and syntypes WU: photo LE!, RAW!).

Distribution: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, N. and S.W. Xinjiang, Tajikistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan; Kashmir.