Flora of North America species comparison

1–5, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 0.7–1.5 × 0.6–1.4 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown to grayish brown, membranous, usually distinctly cellular-reticulate, cells isodiametric or ± narrowly hexagonal, transversely elongate, without fibers;

inner coats red to purple or white, cells obscure, quadrate to ± transversely elongate.

1 or more, not attached to rhizome, ovoid, 1.2–2 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulbs, brown to grayish brown, fibrous, fibers close, ± parallel;

inner coats white to light brown, not cellular.

usually persistent, green at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat or channeled, ± falcate, 8–27 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

withering from tip by anthesis, 2–4, sheathing proximal 1/2+ scape;

blade fistulose proximally, solid distally, terete, linear to filiform, prominently ribbed proximally, channeled distally, 1.5–2.5 cm × 0.5–5 mm, margins and veins usually scabrid with minute teeth, apex acute.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 3–10(–20) cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 25–100 cm × 4–8 mm.

persistent, erect, compact, 8–25-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 7–10-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact to ± loose, 0–40-flowered, subglobose, with few to many bulbils or with bulbils only;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4–9-veined, lanceolate, unequal, apex acuminate into beak, beak long, slender, to 20 cm, ± equaling or longer than base.

campanulate, 5–8 mm;

tepals erect, white with prominent green to purplish midvein, lanceolate to elliptic, ± equal, becoming involute at tip and rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crestless or obscurely crested;

processes 3, low, rounded, central, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 5–15 mm.

usually aborting before capsules mature, if present, campanulate, 6–8 mm;

tepals erect, whitish or pinkish to purple, outer narrowly obovate, inner ± elliptic, unequal, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers yellow to reddish;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 15–60 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat unknown;

capsules only rarely produced.

= 14.