Bulb diameter up to 3.0 cm. Bulbils and stolons unknown. Stem 6.0-30 cm, glarbous or papillose at nodes or below the lowest leaves. Leaves 4-10, lower 30-120 x 12-18 mm, lanceolate to ovate, other leaves linear, acute. Bracts 2 at the base of pedicel, 20-40 x 2.0 mm, linear. Flowers 1-7 (-13), flat, horizontal at maturity. Tepals 1.5 x 1.0 cm, the inner somewhat broader than the outer, pinkish spotted, darker towards the base. Nectaries c. 4 mm, upper larger than the others. Filaments 9.0-11.0 mm, papillose, anthers c. 2 mm. Style 8.0-11.0 mm, glabrous. Capsule 14-18 mm, each wing, with serrate-undulate margin.

Fl.Per.: March-April.

Holotype: Hab. In declivibus prope ruinas Persepolis, Kotschy 827 (G).

Distribution: Georgia (Southern Transcaucasia), Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Baluchistan).

Boissier (Fl. Or. 5: 188. 1882) and Sealy (in Hooker’s Icones Plantarum 39(1&2): 185-190. 1980) have accepted Fritillaria karelinii (Fischer ex D. Don) Baker and have reduced Fritillaria gibbosa Boiss. to synonymy. Lozina-Lozinskaya in V. L. Komarov, Fl. USSR 4: 296-298. 1968 (English transl.) has placed both the species in the genus Rhinopetalum, which is now regarded as a section of Fritillaria. As Fritillaria karelinii has wingless capsule whereas Fritillaria gibbosa has winged capsule, the two taxa are being treated as separate species.