Perennial herb from a blackish tunicate white bulb. Leaves 2-7, linear, weak, appearing with the flowers. Inflorescence to about 40 cm, oblong, bracts present. Flowers more than 40, often paired, spreading, erect; summer. Tepals to 4 mm long, mauve-pink. Fruit ovoid-spherical. Seeds black.

Southern Europe and northern Africa

 

S. autumnalis L. from southern Europe to northern Africa, Asia Minor and southern Russia is a perennial herb from a brownish-pink tunicate white bulb. Leaves 5-12, linear, following the flowers. Inflorescence to about 30 cm, bracts absent. Flowers 5-25, spreading, erect; summer to autumn. Tepals to 5 mm long, pink to lilac. Fruit ovoid-spherical, 3-sided. Seeds spherical, black, rough.

S. bifolia L. from southern and central Europe to Turkey is a perennial herb from a brown-tunicate pinkish bulb. Leaves 2, linear, following the flowers. Inflorescence to about 30 cm, 1-sided, bracts absent. Flowers 1-10, spreading, tips incurved, erect; spring. Tepals to 10 mm long, blue to purplish. Fruit ovoid-spherical. Seeds spherical, brown, appendage white. S. 'Alba' Flowers white.

S. mischtschenkoana Gross. from Iran to Russia is a perennial herb from a grey-brown tunicate white bulb. Leaves 3-5, linear to broadly linear, appearing with the flowers. Inflorescence to about 10 cm, bracts present. Flowers 2-6, widely bell-shaped, erect; spring. Tepals to 8 mm long, pale blue with a dark stripe. Fruit spherical. Seeds spherical, brown to black, appendage pale. [S. tubergeniana Stearn in part]

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.