Flora of North America species comparison

stout.

simple or branched, terete.

connate proximally into sheath, sessile;

blade 1-veined or obscurely 3-veined, linear to narrowly lanceolate, apex acute.

terminal, lax cymes or of solitary, mostly axillary flowers;

bracts, when present, paired, foliaceous;

involucel bracteoles absent.

erect.

bisexual or rarely unisexual and pistillate;

sepals connate proximally into tube, 25–62 mm;

tube green, 10-veined, cylindric to ovoid, terete, commissures between sepals 1-veined, herbaceous;

lobes green, 1-veined, linear-lanceolate, [shorter or] longer than tube, often equaling or longer than petals, margins green, herbaceous, apex acute;

petals 5, purplish red or white, clawed, auricles absent, coronal appendages absent, blade apex obtuse, entire or briefly emarginate;

nectaries near bases of filaments opposite sepals;

stamens 10, 5 adnate to petals, 5 at base of gynoecium;

filaments distinct;

staminodes absent;

styles (4–)5, clavate, 10–12 mm, with dense, stiffly ascending hairs proximally;

stigmas (4–)5, subterminal, papillate (30x).

ovoid, opening by (4–)5 ascending teeth;

carpophore absent.

ca. 30–60, black, reniform, laterally compressed, tuberculate, marginal wing absent, appendage absent;

embryo peripheral, curved.

= 12.