Japan Flora: Roots rarely somewhat fusiform; leaves soft, vivid green, flat, 15-2.5 cm. wide, smooth, reclined above; scapes erect, 40-70 cm. long, simple; inflorescence very short, the axis scarcely distinct; flowers few, 8-10 cm. long, orangeyellow, scarcely pedicelled, the bracts broadly ovate to ovate- cordate, acute, the perianth-tube 1-1.5 cm. long, the inner perianth-segments narrowly obovate to narrowly oblong, about 2.5 cm. wide, obtuse, with few cross-veinlets. June-July. Meadows in high mountains.
Hokkaido. Kuriles, Sakhalin, Amur, Ussuri, Korea, Manchuria, and n. China.
var. esculenta (Koidz.) Ohwi Pedicels 3-12 mm. long, the bracts narrowly ovate; perianth-tube 1-2 cm. long. Meadows in high mountains of Honshu (centr. and n. distr.)