Perennial herb from a tunicate bulb; tunic pinkish; bulbils absent. Leaves 3-7, broadly linear, paler and waxy blue above. Inflorescence to about 30 cm; raceme lax, to 7 cm. Flowers numerous, urn-shaped, not constricted, erect, to 6 mm long; spring. Tepals brown, lobes cream to yellowish-brown. Sterile flowers numerous, smaller, bright violet in an apical tuft.

Europe extending to north-western Ukraine and Iraq.

 

M. macrocarpum Sweet, eastern Mediterranean, is a perennial herb from a tunicate bulb; tunic pale brown; bulbils absent. Leaves 3-6, very broadly linear-tapering, thick, recurving. Inflorescence to about 15 cm; raceme initially dense, to 6 cm. Flowers several, oblong, urn-shaped, not constricted, spreading, to 12 mm long; spring. Tepals purplish-green in bud, opening greenish-yellow, maturing bright yellow; lobes brownish-purple. Sterile flowers very few or absent, purplish-green.

Source: Forster, P. (2005). Ledebouria. 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.