Corm coat heavily fibrous. Scape 5-25 cm. Flowers: perianth bluish violet or bluish purple, tube 6-13 cm, lobes 15-25 mm; anther apex hooked; staminodia white; ovary 8-9 mm; style 9-11 mm. 2n = 12, 24, 42.

Flowering spring (Apr--Jun). Grasslands, volcanic mesas; 0--1600 m; B.C.; Calif., Oreg., Wash.

Subspecies coronaria, like Brodiaea elegans subsp. elegans, is very widespread and grows well in a variety of conditions. It is found primarily in the grasslands of California valleys and in the prairies of western Oregon and Washington. The 2n = 12 populations are found in the northern (Oregon and Washington) and southern (central California) parts of the range, while the 2n = 24 populations are found in the middle part of the range (northern California and southern Oregon).