Leaf blade dull green, to 1(-2) mm wide. Spathe 2.1-3.1 cm. Flowers erect to slightly inclined; perianth yellow, funnelform, 2.1-2.8 cm; perianth tube green, 0.2-0.6 cm, increasing in diam., no more than 1/4 perianth length, ca. 1/2 (1/4-3/4) filament length, no more than 1/4 spathe length; tepals rarely reflexed; stamens diverging, in 2 distinctly unequal sets; filaments filiform, 0.7-1.1 cm; anthers in 2 nonoverlapping sets, 3-6 mm; style longer than perianth tube; stigma 3-fid, usually among anthers; pedicel 0.7-1.5 cm, shorter than spathe. 2n = 48.

Flowering late spring--summer (May--Aug). Sandy, gravelly, calcareous, alkaline soils in highlands; 40--2400 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico.

Duration: Perennial

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Perennial scapose herb from ovoid bulb; scape hollow, about the same length as the leaves; bulb 1.5-2 cm in diameter, 6-10 cm below surface, outer coat dark brown, wrinkled, forming a stout neck up to 2 cm wide, inner coat shiny, papery.

Leaves: Basal, 3-10 per plant; blades dull green, somewhat fleshy, 1-2 mm wide, linear to subfiliform, 5-25 cm long.

Flowers: Yellow, solitary at the ends of scapes, and subtended by a spathe (large bract); flowers erect to slightly inclined; perianth funnelform, 2-3 cm, yellow with whitish tips or tinged with purple or rose; anthers orange; spathe papery, 2-3 cm, pinkish or purplish.

Fruits: 3-lobed capsule, glabrous or slightly depressed, 1.5 cm in diameter with black, obovoid seeds, 5-7 mm long.

Ecology: Found on sandy, gravelly, alkaline, or limestone soils from 4,000-6,000 ft (1219-1829 m); flowers June-August.

Distribution: Ranges from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico.

Notes: Distinguished by possessing a beautiful yellow flower at the end of a scape, with many linear leaves emerging from the coppery or reddish tinged bases.

Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses.

Etymology: Zephyranthes probably comes from the Greek Zephyros, the Greek god of the west wind, and the Greek anthos for flower, while longifolia means long leaf.

Synonyms: Atamosco longifolia, Habranthus longifolius

Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2015