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Perennial herb, geophyte, 0.10-0.25 m high; corm slightly asymmetric, almost turbinate or obovoid, with ± pointed base, tunics smooth, brown, with fine parallel fibrils on basal ridge; stem short. Leaves 4 or more, filiform, 100-250 x 0.5-1.5 mm. Bracts 25-35 mm long, membranous, acuminate, upper half or medial green. Flowers 1-4, pale violet, bluish violet, lilac, or rarely white; perianth tube 40-80 mm long; tepals oblanceolate to elliptical, often slightly concave, subacute to obtuse. Filaments 5-8 mm long, equalling anthers. Style 50-85 mm long; stigma slightly spathulate or lacerate at apex. Flowering time Jan.-May. Seeds black with fine reticulate-foveate testa.
Closely related to S. pulchella from which it differs as follows: Bracts 25-35 mm. Flowers 60-100 mm long, pale violet, bluish-violet, lilac or sometimes almost white, darker violet in the throat. Perianth tube (40-)50-80 mm long; segments oblanceolate to elliptical, often slightly concave, subacute to obtuse, often slightly wider. Filaments 5-8 mm long, equal to the anthers. Style 50-85 mm long; stigmas with slightly spathulate or lacerated tips.
