Summer-green perennial. Corm small; tunic hard, woody, brown, usually smooth. Stem often not protruding above ground or else hidden by sheathing leaf-bases, occasionally elongate. Leaves few, much > stems, channelled, filiform, terete or compressed-cylindrical. Scape 1-several, emerging successively. Flower solitary, terminal, actinomorphic, often brightly coloured, usually funnel-shaped, within 2 spathe-valves; tube usually very short; lobes usually equal, ± spreading. Stamens symmetrical. Style-branches 3, usually deeply bifid. Capsule shortly cylindrical or ellipsoid, coriaceous. Seeds numerous, globose or angled. Spp. c. 90 mainly of S. Africa but also from Europe and tropical Africa. Adventive sp. 1.