Bulbs ovoid, 35-60 mm, sometimes producing sessile offsets. Leaves 7-18 cm; blade distinctly mottled with irregular streaks of brown or white, oblong to narrowly ovate, margins usually wavy. Scape ± reddish, branched well above leaves when flowers more than 1, 10-30 cm. Inflorescences 1-3-flowered. Flowers: flowering individuals generally abundant in populations; tepals white to cream, base yellow and often banded with brown or red, ± narrowly ovate, 25-40 mm, inner with small auricles at base; stamens 12-25 mm; filaments ± white, linear, slender, less than 0.8 mm wide; anthers white to cream; style ± white, 10-14 mm; stigma unlobed or with lobes less than 2 mm. Capsules obovoid, 3-6 cm. 2n = 24.

Flowering spring (Mar--Apr). Dry woods, openings, cliffs; 0--1900 m; Calif.

Forms intermediate with Erythronium citrinum and E. multiscapideum are sometimes seen where ranges overlap.