Bulbs rhizomatous, often branching, 1.4–2.9 × 9.6–18 cm, 0.1–0.3 times taller than long, 3–4 years’ growth evident as annual bulbs, older growth often with perpendicular thin branches leading to small new bulbs and always with noticeable abscission scars, youngest 3 years’ growth bearing basal leaves, scaleless sections between annual bulbs 2.7–5.4 cm; scales unsegmented, longest 1–2 cm; stem roots present or absent. Stems to 2 m. Buds ± triangular in cross section. Leaves in 1–5 whorls or partial whorls, 3–10 leaves per whorl, ascending, sometimes only slightly, or occasionally ± horizontal and drooping slightly at tips, 3.1–15.7 × 0.5–3.6 cm, 2.1–9.3 times longer than wide; blade weakly to sometimes narrowly oblanceolate, occasionally obovate, elliptic, or narrowly elliptic, margins not undulate, apex acute, acuminate in distal leaves; central vein in particular impressed adaxially, veins and margins often somewhat roughened abaxially with tiny ± deltoid epidermal spicules. Inflorescences umbellate or rarely racemose, 1–4-flowered. Flowers pendent, not fragrant; perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped; sepals and petals reflexed less than 1/5 along length from base, yellow-orange or yellow, sometimes orange-yellow, often suffused with red distally, spotted maroon, often nearly to apex, not distinctly clawed, nectaries exposed, forming visible green star; sepals with 2 parallel, often faint abaxial ridges, 6.2–10.2 × 1.1–1.8 cm; petals 6.1–10 × 1.2–2.2 cm; stamens strongly exserted; filaments parallel along much of length, then widely spreading, diverging 14°–31° from axis; anthers magenta, 1–1.6 cm; pollen rust or sometimes rust-orange; pistil 4.7–6.8 cm; ovary 1.5–2.5 cm; style very pale green, often spotted purple near apex; pedicel 10–23 cm. Capsules 2.5–5 × 1.7–3 cm, 1.2–2.2 times longer than wide. Seeds not counted.
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