Plants 350-480 mm high, evidently lacking basal sheathing cataphylls at flowering. Corm broadly ovoid, flattened in lower 1/3 on one side, 12-14 mm diam.; tunics woody ± black, notched below into sections. Stem suberect, usually 2-or 3-branched from near base or simple, branches laxly arching outward. Leaves 4 or 5, mostly basal, ± linear, mostly 6-8 mm wide, soft and ± succulent, uppermost sometimes inserted shortly above ground, partly sheathing stem. Spike lax, 1-to 3-flowered, spaced 25-35 mm apart; bracts green, soft to ± membranous, 12-15 mm long, inner narrower, with membranous margins. Flowers crepuscular, rotate, white, middle 1/2-2/3 of outer tepals mottled grey-brown outside, opening after 19:00, tepals then outspread, evidently unscented [or faintly scented]; perianth tube ± cylindric, ± 8 mm long, reaching to ± top of bracts; tepals subequal, elliptic, 16 x 4 mm. Filaments erect, ± 6 mm long; anthers held horizontally, 6-7 mm long, white; pollen white. Style branches ± 5 mm long, ascending, reaching to lower 1/3 anthers in closed flower. Capsules ± ovoid-elliptic, obtuse, smooth, 12-14 x 6-7 mm. Seeds ± 2 mm long, irregularly angled by pressure, with light brown, loose testa.
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