Bulbs 1–3+, not rhizomatous, without basal bulbels, ovoid, 1.2–2.5 × 1–2 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray or brown, reticulate, cells fine-meshed, open, fibrous; inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate and regular or obscure. Leaves persistent, green at anthesis, 2, sheathing; blade solid, ± straight, channeled, semiterete, 10–40 cm × 1–3(–5) mm, margins entire or denticulate. Scape persistent, solitary, erect, ± terete, 5–30(–40) cm × 1–3 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, compact to ± loose, 15–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3, usually 1-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate. Flowers urceolate to campanulate, 5–7 mm; tepals erect, white or rarely pink, with red or reddish brown midribs; outer whorl broadly ovate to lanceolate, unequal, becoming callous-keeled and permanently investing capsule, margins often obscurely toothed apically, apex obtuse to acuminate; inner whorl narrower, margins entire, apex distinctly spreading; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary ± conspicuously crested; processes 6, central, distinct or connate in pairs across septa, ± erect, rounded, to 1 mm, margins entire, becoming variously developed or obsolete in fruit; style linear, equaling filaments; stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed; pedicel 5–20 mm. Seed coat shining; cells ± smooth, without central papillae. 2n = 14, 28.
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Bulb ovoid-conic, 1–2 cm with fibrous-reticulate coats; stem 1–2.5 dm; lvs mostly 1 or 2, arising below the middle, 1–2 mm wide, bracts ovate, short-acuminate; bulblets none; pedicels 5–10 mm, or in fr to 20 mm; tep pink or white, lanceolate or lance-oblong, 6–8 mm, acute; filaments shorter than the perianth; fr retuse, 3–4 mm, its valves (and each lobe of the ovary) bearing 2 short erect projections on the back just below the top; 2n=14, 28. Dry plains and prairies; s. and w. Minn. and w. Io. to Alta., Wash., and N.M. May, June. (A. reticulatum)
An onion family plant. It is a herb. It grows 8-25 cm tall. It has a bulb. There are 2 leaves and they are very narrow and grooved. The flowers are white or pale pink and small and lily shaped. There are several flowers in small clusters at the end of the slender stem. The fruit is a small, dry capsule with a few seeds. The leaves have a strong odour.
Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
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