Herbs, perennial, very glaucous, 7-10 cm (2-4 cm above soil surface), glabrous; stems and petioles of radical leaves attenuate to thin underground base. Storage roots few, 2-4 cm × (1-)3-5 mm, tapering distally. Bulb very prominent, 1.5-3 × 2-3 cm, with fleshy pale ovate scales 1-2 cm, apparently in 2 rows. Stems 1-3, simple, leafless. Radical leaves absent or rarely small, simple, fleshy (possibly developing late in season). Raceme capitate, 8-14-flowered, slightly elongating; bracts lead-gray (rarely green) with paler streaks and many dark small irregular spots on both surfaces, broadly obtriangular to obovate, 10-18 mm, fleshy, apically shallowly divided into 3-7 broad obtuse lobes. Pedicel straight, 5-10(-15) mm. Sepals caducous (?minute). Petals white (to very pale blue?), apical keel of outer petals blue; inner petals with purplish blue apex (dorsal crest blue); upper petal 16-18 mm, apex narrowly truncate to subacute, shortly crested; spur slightly downcurved at apex, cylindric, 7-8 mm; nectary ca. 2/3 as long as spur; lower petal 8-10 mm, sometimes with small gibbosity at base; inner petals 8-9 mm. Ovary with 20-25 ovules; stigma slightly emarginate with 2 conspicuous marginal apical papillae; lateral marginal papillae small; geminate papillae on basal lobes. Fl. Jun-Aug.
Home