Perennial. Bulb ovoid, up to 3 cm in diameter. Roots branched. Stem 20-45 cm. Leaves (5-7)-9, subopposite, opposite or whorled, present on the lower and central region of the stem, glabrous, glossy, 6-14 x 2-7 cm, oval to ovate-lanceolate, lower most broadest, upper most lanceolate. Inflorescence (1-2)-4 flowered pseudo-umbel; bracts 2-5, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 6-8 x 0.5-1.5 cm, glossy, green. Flowers pendent, broadly campanulate, bright yellow, slightly fragrant. Pedicel 2-4 cm. Tepals 3-4 (-5) cm, curved at the cuneate base, tip obtuse, papillose; outer obovate or rhombiform, inner elliptic or ovate-elliptic. Nectaries white, subcircular-oval, 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter. Stamens included, filaments 2.5-3 cm, tapering, c. 1 mm wide, anthers c. 1.3 mm long before dehiscence, 7-8 mm after dehiscence. Ovary c. 11 mm long; style c. 2.7 cm long, 3 branched, branches 3-4 mm, curved outward. Fruiting, pedicel 3.5-4 cm; capsule 2-2.5 cm long, with 2-3 mm wide 6 undulate wings. Seeds 6-8 mm, flat, brown.

Fl. Per.: April

Holotype: Cultivated specimen from bulbs collected by H. D. Watson in Chitral, Watson (K).

Distribution: Eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan (Chitral).

Beautiful delicate ornamental plant. Introduced in England for the first time in 1910 from Chitral; reintroduced again from Afghanistan in 1970. Though Fritillaria chitralensis is reported from Kashmir also by Brian Mathew, who has treated Chitral as part of Kashmir. However, to my knowledge, this taxon does not extend to Kashmir.