Plants 1-7 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 10-35 × 8-30 mm. Leaves: proximal blades 12-45 cm × 2-10 mm. Inflorescences usually paniculate with 1-5 branches, occasionally racemose, 10-60-flowered, narrow, terminal raceme often pyramidal in early anthesis, 3-40 × 3-7 cm, proximal branches 2-13 cm, 1/10-1/2 length of entire inflorescence, diverging from main axis at 60°-90° when in fruit. Flowers: perianth hypogynous, campanulate, 5-12 mm diam.; tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, 3-8 × 1-4 mm, outer sometimes with basal claw to 5 mm, usually with acute apex; gland 1, obovate, distal margins evident, dentate; filaments straight, ± equaling tepals or rarely longer, thickened proximally; pedicel usually perpendicular to stem in flower and in fruit, 12-40 mm, bracts white and membranous to green and foliaceous, narrowly lanceolate, 5-40 mm. Capsules 6-18 × 2-7 mm. 2n = 22.

Flowering Apr--Jul. Serpentine hillsides; 0--1000 m; Calif., Oreg.