Flora of North America species comparison

1–15+, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.6–1.5 × 0.6–1.3 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells in ± vertical rows, forming irregular herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped, without fibers;

inner coats usually dark red, sometimes white to pink, 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 at anthesis, 2–4, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, 10–36 cm × 0.5–2 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, 15–50 cm × 3–5 mm.

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

shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, compact, 10–50-flowered, hemispheric, bulbels unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 6–13-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex short-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.

stellate, 5–9 mm;

tepals spreading at anthesis, white to pink, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, lateral, ± prominent, ± rectangular, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 4–16 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;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

= 14, 21, 28.