Also known as mountain lilies, the sand lily is a spectacular, low growing wildflower. It is a perennial arising from a rhizome. The 8-20 leaves are linear and tufted, and are up to 20 cm long and 2 to 8 mm wide. They are strongly nerved and more or less white-margined. The one to six flowers are white and fragrant, being found close to the ground on stems from 1.5-3.5 cm long. The white perianth tube is 4 to 8 cm long, with the individual tepals (six of them) linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblong-elliptic in shape, and 20 to 25 mm long and up to 7 mm wide. The stamens and style are exserted from the mouth of the flower.

This wildflower is a delight to find in bloom in arid regions. I've noticed that it must be a favorite snack of rabbits or deer, as many blooms and leaves are frequently nipped off.

Sand lilies may be found in sandy or rocky areas interspersed with sagebrush or ponderosa pine.

Sand lilies may be found from south-central Oregon south to the Sierra Nevada of California and eastward to Montana and South Dakota.