Herbs, perennial, from tunicate, ovoid bulbs; tunic brown, dry, brittle, papery. Stems simple or branched. Leaves few, basal larger; blade pleated, linear-lanceolate. Inflorescences rhipidiate, few-flowered; spathes green, unequal, inner spathe exceeding outer, apex brown, acute, usually dry. Flowers short-lived, erect, unscented, actinomorphic; tepals spreading, distinct, blue to mauve with white markings, unequal, outer whorl more than 2 times inner; filaments connate; anthers diverging, appressed to style branches; style slender, branching at apex of filament column; branches diverging from base, flattened, divided apically into 2 slender lobes, apically stigmatic. Capsules ovoid, apex truncate. Seeds many, prismatic; seed coat brown. x = 7.
The name Alophia has been misapplied to this genus because of an erroneous interpretation of the identity of the type species of Alophia (P. Goldblatt 1975).
