Bulbs ovoid, 2-4 cm. Stems 1.5-4.5(-6) dm. Leaves several, mostly proximal; blade linear to oblanceolate, weakly keeled, 15-30 × 0.6-2.5 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences racemose and 3-6-flowered or paniculate and to 25-flowered; bracts lanceolate, 6-10 mm. Flowers drooping; perianth narrowly tubular-campanulate; tepals recurved distally, greenish to brownish purple, oblong-lanceolate, 10-20 mm, apex gradually acuminate; tepal glands present; stamens 7-8 mm; filaments subequal; pedicel ascending to erect, 1-3 cm. Capsules lanceoloid, 12-16 mm including slender style beaks, apex gradually acuminate. Seeds brownish black, narrowly oblong, 3-4 mm. 2n = 16.

Flowering late spring--mid summer. Wet cliffs, rocky crevices, montane meadows, mossy scree; 0--2500 m; Alta., B.C.; Calif., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash.

Stenanthium occidentale is similar to a circum-northern Pacific and Sakhalin Island endemic, S. sachalinense F. Schmidt, which may be conspecific (S. M. Kupchan et al. 1961; F. H. Utech 1987).