A perennial herb from a short bulb-like corm. Leaves 3-5, oblong-lanceolate, sheathing. Flowers 1-3, to 8 cm long, bell-shaped; autumn. Tepals pale to deep rose-purple, throat white. Anthers orange-yellow.

C. bornmuelleri Freyn. from Turkey has several narrowly elliptic sheathing leaves. Flowers 1-6, to 7 cm long, bell-shaped; late summer to autumn.Tepals rosy purple, strongly tessellated. Anthers purple.

N Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus.

Source: Conran, J. (2005). Colchicaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.