Stems slender, straight, 2-3 dm. Leaves not recurved. Flowers: petals with reddish brown line distal to gland, 3-4 cm, longer than sepals, sparsely bearded; glands shallowly to moderately depressed, small; anthers 4-7 mm.

Flowering late spring--mid summer. Shaded canyons; 0--1300 m; Calif.

Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis is restricted to the San Gabriel Mountains.