Bulbs 1-3, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 1-1.5 × 1-1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray to dark brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2-3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate. Leaves persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, terete, 12-30 cm × 1-3.5 mm. Scape persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 6-15 cm × 1-3 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, compact, 10-45-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2-3, 3-5-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate. Flowers campanulate to urceolate, 8-15 mm; tepals erect, rose-purple, linear to lanceolate, unequal, becoming rigid and ± keeled in fruit, apex acute, ± spreading-reflexed at tip, inner tepals slightly shorter and wider than outer, outer margins denticulate on distal 1/4, inner margins denticulate to erose and crisped throughout; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved; pedicel 4-12 mm. Seed coat dull or shining; cells minutely roughened. 2n = 14.

Flowering May--Jul. Granite sands in open coniferous forest; 1400--2000 m; Calif. Allium abramsii is known only from the central Sierra Nevada.