Erect bulbous geophyte up to 30cm. Leaves 1 or 2, strap-shaped, green or purplish, often tinged maroon below. Spike of cream or white bell-shaped flowers with pink tips, outer sepals are slightly shorter and often green-tipped; strongly carnation-scented, can be quite overpowering on a warm spring day!

For: Prof. Werner de Lachenal (1736-1800), Swiss botanist and professor of botany and anatomy at the University of Basel; a friend of Carl Linnaeus.