多年(nian)生(sheng)草本;鱗(lin)莖深(shen)埋土中,外有(you)(you)鱗(lin)莖皮,通常(chang)由2(-3)枚(mei)白(bai)粉質鱗(lin)片(pian)組(zu)成(鱗(lin)片(pian)內(nei)生(sheng)有(you)(you)2-3對小鱗(lin)片(pian)),較(jiao)少由多枚(mei)鱗(lin)片(pian)及周圍許(xu)多米粒(li)狀小鱗(lin)片(pian)組(zu)成,前者鱗(lin)莖近(jin)(jin)卵形(xing)或(huo)球形(xing),后者常(chang)多少呈(cheng)蓮座狀。莖直立,不分(fen)枝,一(yi)部(bu)分(fen)位(wei)于(yu)地(di)下。基生(sheng)葉(xie)有(you)(you)長柄(bing);莖生(sheng)葉(xie)對生(sheng)、輪(lun)生(sheng)或(huo)散生(sheng),先端卷曲或(huo)不卷曲,基部(bu)半抱莖。花(hua)較(jiao)大或(huo)略小,通常(chang)鐘形(xing),俯垂(但在受精后花(hua)梗(geng)逐漸(jian)向上(shang),在果(guo)期直立),輻射對稱,少有(you)(you)稍(shao)兩(liang)側(ce)對稱,單朵頂(ding)生(sheng)或(huo)多朵排(pai)成總(zong)狀花(hua)序(xu)或(huo)傘形(xing)花(hua)序(xu),具(ju)(ju)葉(xie)狀苞片(pian);花(hua)被片(pian)矩圓(yuan)形(xing)、近(jin)(jin)匙形(xing)至近(jin)(jin)狹卵形(xing),常(chang)靠(kao)合,內(nei)面近(jin)(jin)基部(bu)有(you)(you)一(yi)凹(ao)陷的蜜腺窩(wo);雄蕊6枚(mei),花(hua)藥近(jin)(jin)基著或(huo)背著,2室(shi),內(nei)向開(kai)(kai)裂(lie);花(hua)柱3裂(lie)或(huo)近(jin)(jin)不裂(lie);柱頭(tou)伸出于(yu)雄蕊之(zhi)外;子房3室(shi),每室(shi)有(you)(you)2縱列胚珠,中軸胎座。蒴果(guo)具(ju)(ju)6棱(leng),棱(leng)上(shang)常(chang)有(you)(you)翅(chi),室(shi)背開(kai)(kai)裂(lie)。種子多數,扁平,邊緣有(you)(you)狹翅(chi)。
波(bo)斯貝(bei)母是屬于(yu)歐洲(zhou)常見園藝種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)植(zhi)(zhi)當中的(de)一種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其(qi)中的(de)一種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)名(ming)為“阿德亞曼(man)”(Adiyaman)的(de)貝(bei)母品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),這種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)比其(qi)他(ta)品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)具有更高的(de)植(zhi)(zhi)株(zhu)和(he)更多的(de)花穗,此品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)已經獲得了英國(guo)皇家園藝學(xue)會花園優異(yi)獎。