Flora of North America species comparison

1–12+, not basally clustered, not forming rhizomes, ovoid to ± globose, 0.8–1.6 × 0.9–1.6 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more renewal bulbs, ± yellow-brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells square or polygonal, walls thick, obscurely sinuous, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

1–10+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, not forming rhizomes, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, or borne terminally on rhizomes outside coats of parent bulb, parent bulb disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and shriveled bulb coat, ovoid or oblique, 0.6–2 × 1–2.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, quadrate, or not visible.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, 7–30 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

forming abcission layer at soil surface and deciduous or persistent with scape after seeds mature, also frequently breaking at soil surface after pressing, withering at tip at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, ± falcate, 10–40 cm × 1–10 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 10–35 cm × 1–3 mm.

deciduous or persistent, solitary, erect, solid, compressed to strongly flattened and winged or not, 5–40 cm × 1–5 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–40-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–7-veined, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact to ± loose, 10–50-flowered, globose to hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 8–17-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

campanulate, 8–15 mm;

tepals erect, pink to rose-purple, or white, lanceolate to lance-ovate, unequal, becoming rigid and keeled in fruit, margins finely denticulate (inner tepal more prominently so), apex acuminate, outer tepal longer and wider than inner, spreading to recurved at tip, inner tepal with strongly recurved tips;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, central, 2-lobed, rounded, minute, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 6–25 mm.

campanulate to ± stellate, 6–12 mm;

tepals ± erect, almost white to pink, with prominent, darker midribs, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming rigid, spreading, carinate in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, involute at tip;

stamens included to ± equaling tepals or exserted;

anthers purple to yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless or obscurely to prominently crested;

processes 3 or 6, central, low, rounded to ± prominent, triangular, margins entire;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed;

pedicel 5–25 mm.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

= 14.