Herbs c. 10 cm long. Bulbs densely clumped, small, scales purplish-brown. Radical leaves 1-4, up to 11 cm long, c. 0.5-1 mm wide, linear. Cauline leaves 3-6. Flower solitary terminal, drooping. Tepals white or yellow mottled with purple or red, glabrous, 1.8-2.2 cm, outer linear oblong, apiculate, 2.5-4 mm wide, inner 4.5-6.5 mm wide narrowly oblanceolate, with 2 inconspicuous nectiferous grooves near base. Filaments 4-6 mm, glabrous, anthers 1.8-2.2 mm long, apiculate. Ovary sessile, 2.6-4 x 0.8-1.5 mm, style 8-11 mm long, stigma lobes 3, spreading.

Fl.Per.: May-July.

Syntypes: “La China occidentale: prov de Yunan, sur les pentes du Tsang Chan, all-dessus de Tali, Telavay nr. 93 et 294”.

Distribution: Kashmir, India (Himachal Pradesh to Nepal vide S. Dasgupta & Deb l.c.) Bhutan, Sikkim, China (Sichuan, Yunnan).

Ludlow & Sharriff 9137 (BM) is identified as Lloydia himalensis by S. Dasgupta & Deb (l.c.). According to Noltie (l.c.) Lloydia himalensis sensu S. Dasgupta & Deb (p.p.) is different from Lloydia himalensis Royle and is conspecific with Lloydia yunnanensis Franchet.