The photosynthetic pathway of two early spring ephemeral plants, Ixiolirion songaricum and I. tataricum in Xinjiang, were investigated by anatomical structure observation, photosynthesis measurement, stable carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) and photosynthetic enzymes activity determination. The results showed that: (1) the two species had one layer of vascular bundle sheath cells and were closely arranged, the sheath cells contained more chloroplasts and were more centrifugally distributed which were similar to the Kranz structure, revealed by the leaf anatomy and ultrastructure observation. (2) The maximum net photosynthetic rate of I. songaricum and I. tataricum was 14.81 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 and 15.04 μmol·m^-2·s^-1, respectively. Both of them had a low CO₂ compensation point with 3.57 μmol·mol^-1 and 2.54 μmol· mol^-1, respectively. The δ¹³C value was -25.36±0.55‰ and -25.76±1.38‰ for I. songaricum and I. tataricum, respectively, and the photosynthetic enzyme PEPC/Rubisco ratio was 0.244 and 0.322, respectively. (3) The maximum net photosynthetic rate, δ¹³C value and PEPC/Rubisco ratio indicated that the photosynthetic pathway of the two ephemerals were C₃. However, the C₄like vascular bundle sheath structure, relative lower CO₂ compensation point and dark respiration, and higher PEPC/Rubisco ratio than some C₃ and C₃C₄ intermediate plants suggested that the photosynthetic pathways of the two ephemeral species are not typical C₃ pathways, but should be defined as C₃C₄ intermediate.