Leaves 3-4, 30-85 cm; blade unkeeled, glaucous. Scape self-supporting, with occasional bends, 20 (rarely -90) cm, scabrous. Inflorescences umbellate, dense, 6-15-flowered; bracts streaked purple, ovate, 7-12 mm, apex acuminate. Flowers horizontal or erect; perianth pink to bluish purple, tube unangled, cylindrical, strongly constricted above ovary, 8-10 mm, lobes widely spreading, 8-10 mm; perianth appendages each coalescent to inner and outer tepal, arching slightly inward (but outward distally) toward anthers, forming corona, erect, white or pale purple, 5-6 mm, margins entire or denticulate, strongly involute, apex truncate or rounded; stamens 3, equal; anthers 4-5 mm; ovary sessile, globose, 4-6 mm; style 5-8 mm; pedicel 3-15 mm, not hidden by bracts. 2n = 18, 36, 45, 54.

Flowering spring (Apr--early Jun). Open woodlands, foothill grasslands, scrubs; 0--2000 m; Calif., Oreg.

Dichelostemma multiflorum is similar to D. capitatum and D. congestum. Dichelostemma capitatum is distinguished by its six fertile stamens, and D. congestum by perianth appendages that are deeply bifid and lean away from the inner anthers; racemose inflorescences; and a weakly constricted perianth tube.