Flora of North America species comparison

mostly ascending to erect, (25–)30–50 × 2–4(–5.2) cm;

blade light green to yellowish green, sometimes checkmarked but without bud-prints, linear-lanceolate, stiff, adaxially concave toward apex, abaxially convex toward base;

margins straight, easily detached, nonfiliferous, conspicuously armed, teeth single 2–6 mm, mostly (1–)2–4 cm apart, rarely absent;

apical spine grayish, conical to subulate, 1.5–4.5 cm.

ascending to erect, 7–65 × 4–20 cm;

blade glaucous-gray to light green, not cross-zoned, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or broadly ovate, rigid, adaxially nearly plane to concave toward apex, abaxially convex;

margins straight or undulate, rarely unarmed, teeth single, well defined, 3–7(–8) mm, 1–3 cm apart;

apical spine dark brown to gray, subulate or acicular, 1.5–4 cm.

(2–)2.5–3.5 m. Inflorescences spicate, densely flowered on distal 1/2;

bracts caducous, linear, 1–3 cm;

peduncle 2–5 mm, rarely 20–150 mm.

(2–)3–6 m. Inflorescences broadly paniculate, somewhat open to dense, not bulbiferous;

bracts persistent, triangular, 3–10 cm;

lateral branches (7–)10–36, horizontal to slightly ascending, comprising distal 1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm.

2–3 per cluster, erect to slightly recurved, (2.4–)3–4.5 cm;

perianth yellow, frequently tinged with red or purple, tube campanulate, 1.5–4 × 6–12 mm, limb lobes ascending, subequal, 11–20 mm;

stamens long-exserted;

filaments inserted on rim of perianth tube, spreading, yellow to reddish, 2.5–4.2 cm;

anthers pale yellow, (11–)15–20 mm;

ovary (0.8–)1.5–2.2 cm, neck constricted (2–)4–8.5 mm.

27–48 per cluster, erect, 4.3–8.1 cm;

perianth pink to red or red to orange in bud, yellow to yellowish green at anthesis, tube campanulate, 6–18 × 11–21 mm, limb lobes erect to ascending, unequal, 13–27 mm;

stamens long-exserted;

filaments inserted (sometimes irregularly) above mid perianth tube to just below rim, erect, yellow or green, 3.5–5.8 cm;

anthers yellow, 12–34 mm;

ovary (2–)3–4.5(–4.8) cm, neck slightly constricted, 4–9 mm.

sessile or short-pedicellate, oblong, 1.8–2.5(–3) cm, apex beaked.

short-pedicellate, ovoid or oblong to obovoid, 2.5–5 cm, apex beaked.

4.5–6 mm.

7–8 mm.

= 110–120.