Seasonal perenials. Corms rooting apically with fibrous or woody and unbroken tunics. Leaf bifacial, flat to channelled, or sometimes terete, 1-many. Flowering stems branched, branches few to many, sometimes unbranched, sometimes with 1 long areal internode with inflorescence and leaves crowded at the apex or entirely underground. Flowers long lived or fugaceous; mainly yellow to white; tepals free or united, clawed, unequal to subequal, spreading to reflexed or inner erect. Filaments united, entirely or partly or occasionally free; anthers appressed to style branches. Ovary occasionally beaked; style branches usually broad or flat, wider than the anther, ending in large paired crests; stigma terminal, divided or undivided and extending between the stamens. Capsule globose to obconic or oblong, occasionally beaked. Seeds discoid or angular; testa sometimes spongy.