Plants 1-8 dm, from bulbs; bulbs not clumped, tunicate, ovoid, 10-40 × 5-40 mm. Leaves: proximal blades 5-50 cm × 2-30 mm. Inflorescences racemose or paniculate, 2-80-flowered, broad, proximal branches 1/3-1/2 as long as entire inflorescence, spreading at 60°-90° angle. Flowers: perianth hypogynous, rotate, 15-25 mm diam.; tepals persistent in fruit, cream colored, 5-15 × 2-6 mm, outer very short clawed, inner distinctly clawed 2 mm; gland 1, obovate, distal margins evident, dentate; filaments straight, shorter than tepals, thickened proximally; pedicel ascending in flower to perpendicular to stem in fruit, 10-50 mm, bracts green, somewhat falcate, 5-50 mm. Capsules 8-30 × 4-11 mm. 2n = 22.

Flowering Feb--Jun. Coastal and inland, central valley grassland chaparral, mixed evergreen forests; 0--1000 m; Calif., Oreg; Mexico (Baja California).