Plants rarely bulbose; bulb coat, when present, membranous. Stems branching, ± straight, 2-6 dm. Leaves: basal withering, 1-2 dm; blade linear, attenuate. Inflorescences monochasiate, 1-4-flowered; bracts 2-5 cm. Flowers erect; perianth open, campanulate, narrow at base; sepals deep lilac, often with purple blotch, lanceolate-ovate to acuminate, 2-3 cm; petals lavender to deep purple, usually with purple blotch at base, obovate to cuneate, rounded, 3-5 cm, with scattered, white and/or purple hairs proximal to middle, sometimes with yellow hairs distal to gland, margins dentate distally; glands ± square, not depressed, usually with many branching hairs; filaments 7-8 mm; anthers purple or white, 5-7 mm, apex obtuse to abruptly pointed. Capsules erect, linear, angled, 5-7 cm. Seeds light-colored, flat. 2n = 14.

Flowering late spring--mid summer. Dry slopes in heavy or granitic soil in chaparral, valley grassland, pine forest; less than 2800 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).