It is native to sections of the Great Basin in Nevada and in California east of the major mountain ranges.

It grows in mountain forest and scrubby high desert and plateau habitat.

It is a perennial plant growing from a corm and producing an erect flowering stem up to half a meter tall.

Each flower has six tepals which are white, turning pale purple as they dry, and just under a centimeter in length.

At the center of the flower are six erect stamens with filaments expanded at the base and fused into a low cup around the gynoecium.