Plants mostly 100-300 mm high. Corm ovoid-globose, 3-6 mm diam., with numerous cormlets at base; tunics dark, often blackish, imbricate, notched into sections below. Stem inclined or erect, simple or more often 1-to 3-branched, densely puberulous (slightly rough to touch), usually bearing a short leafy bract from upper node. Leaves usually 3, plane, linear to sword-shaped, erect to falcate, margins and main vein slightly raised, smooth or sparsely papillate to ciliate, ± as long as stem or somewhat longer, 2-5(-7) mm wide, lower 2 basal, upper basal or inserted shortly above ground, sheathing lower half of stem. Spike (1-)3-to 7-flowered, flexed below first flower, inclined; bracts green below, dry and brown in upper half, 6-12 mm long, spreading above, inner smaller, 6-8 mm long. Flowers rotate, often zygomorphic, usually deep blue to violet, or white or pale blue (rarely purple); perianth tube funnel-shaped, 1-2 mm long; tepals 11-15 x 4-6 mm. Filaments subequal or unequal, often declinate, 3-5 mm long, one usually shorter by up to 1 mm; anthers suberect or horizontal, (2.0)3.0-5.5 mm long, white to pale yellow. Style 7-8 mm long, branches up to 2 mm long. Capsules 5-6 mm long, ± ovoid.
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Cormous geophyte, 10-35 cm, tunics woody, imbricate, stem velvety. Leaves sword-shaped, margins and midrib slightly thickened. Flowers blue-violet, sometimes white, tepals spreading, stamens usually slightly unequal.
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