Bulb 20-30 x 15-25 mm, ovoid. Leaves 5-6, 15-20 x 0.2-0.4 cm, terete, erect. Scape 10-20 cm, 4-12 flowered. Bracts 7-9 mm long. Pedicel 2-3 mm long. Flower 12-14 mm long. Perianth segments subequal fused for about 1/3 the length of the perianth from the base, outer ones slightly longer than inner. Stamens arising from throat of perianth segments, anthers versatile, 4-5 mm long. Ovary sessile, c. 4 mm long, style c. 4 mm long. Fruit sessile, 12-14 mm long and broad. Seeds 6-7 mm, orbicular, flat, black, narrowly winged.

Fl.Per.: February-July.

Type: Baluchistan inferior, J. E. Stocks (K).

Distribution: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Baluchistan and Sindh) and India (Rajasthan).

T. Cooke [Fl. Pres. Bomb. 3: 278. 1958 (Reprint ed.)], M. M. Bhandari (Fl. Ind. Desert 318. 1978) and Deb & S. Dasgupta (J. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. 75(1): 53. 1978) have adopted Dipcadi erythraeum Webb & Berth., treating Dipcadi unicolor (Stocks) Baker as a synonym. Khatoon & Ali (Chrom. Atlas Ang. Pak. 162. 1993) have used Dipcadi erythraeum Webb & Berth. for Karachi plants having n=11 whereas Turbat and Hoshab population reported to have n=4 is identified as Dipcadi unicolor. Having re-examined the photograph of the Karachi material (n = 11) Khatoon, S. & Ali, (In Ali & Ghaffar, A., Plant Life of South Asia, Karachi, fig. 6, 1991) now agree that the counts for Karachi are better interpreted as 8+3B and 16+6B. As I have only a few specimens at my disposal, presently I have placed both the populations under Dipcadi erythraeum, till more material is available.

Bulbs are eaten in Sindh and Baluchistan.