Perennial herbaceous plant up to 100 cm tall, growing from a yellow bulb, consisting of numerous fleshy scales. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, arranged in a whorl, 5-6 each. The flowers are large, dirty pink with purple spots and petals, bent back, at the top of the stem, 3-10 pcs. Blooms in June-July. Honey plant.
Distributed in the forest and forest-steppe zones of Siberia. Grows in forest meadows, in coniferous and birch forests, climbs slopes above forest borders.
In folk medicine, an infusion of tubers (bulbs) is drunk for toothache, nervous shocks, and bad mood (“from longing”). The juice has a healing effect. A decoction of flowers is drunk for diseases of the gallbladder. The leaves are applied to burns to reduce inflammation. The tubers are edible.