Western false asphodel has stems ranging from 10-50 cm high, the stems either free of leaves or with2-3 sheathing leaves to about mid stem. The basal leaves are tufted and linear in shape, with each ranging from 5-15 cm long and 3-8 m wide. The herbage is smooth or lightly glandular hairy below, but is sticky, glandular-haired above.
The inflorescence is a short racem about 1-2 cm long in flower, lengthening to 3-7 cm in fruit. The pedicels are arranged in threes, each from 1-6 mm long. Each pedicel bears at its tip 3 separate to connate involucre-like bracts. The 6 tepals range from greenish to white, with the inner tepals narrower and longer than the outer trio. They measure from 3-5.5 mm long. The stamens range from equal to slightly longer than the tepals.
Western false asphodel is a plant of wet meadows, streambanks and bogs. It may also be found on moist alpine ridges.
Western false asphodel may be found from southern Alaska south to Vancouver Island and the Olympic Mts., and from southern British Columbia south through the Cascades to southern Oregon. It is found eastward to the Selkir Mts. in southeastern British Columbia.
In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 2700'-4200' west of both Grassy Knoll and Mt. Defiance.
