Perennials, cormous, or rarely with a rootstock; with crocus-like flowers in autumn, rarely spring-flowering. Leaves basal, rarely a few cauline, herbaceous to fleshy, usually produced in spring. Flowers 1-3, rarely more, from an extremely short underground scape. Perianth variously coloured, from deep lilac to white, rarely yellow; segments connate below, forming a very long stalk-like tube, spreading above and campanulate with 6 free lobes. Capsule septicidal. Seeds many, subglobose. Spp. c. 65, of Europe, Mediterranean, Central Asia and N. India. Adventive sp. 1.
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