Flora of North America species comparison

1–4+, without rhizome, with or without basal bulbels, often clustered, ovoid, 1–2.5 × 0.6–3 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish or grayish, reticulate, cells fine-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate, sometimes contorted, walls straight or ± sinuous.

1–3, borne on stout, ± horizontal rhizome, elongate, cylindric or conic, 0.5–1.5 × 0.7–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, reticulate, cells ± fine-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats white, cells closely parallel, elongate.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–6, basally sheathing, sheaths extending less than 1/4 scape;

blade solid, flat, channeled, not carinate, 20–50 cm × 1–7 mm, margins entire or denticulate, apex acute to obtuse.

withering from tip by anthesis, 2–5, sheathing scape to ± soil level;

blade solid, flat, carinate abaxially, 20–40 cm × 2–6 mm, margins entire.

persistent, usually solitary, erect, terete, 10–60 cm × 1–5 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 30–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 0–60-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown or flowering pedicels replaced at least in part by bulbils;

spathe bracts persistent, 3–4, 3–7-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate, beakless.

persistent, erect, loose, 20–50-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 1–3, 3–7-veined, lance-ovate, shorter than pedicel, apex acuminate.

urceolate-campanulate, 4–8 mm;

tepals erect or spreading, white to pink or lavender, lanceolate to elliptic, ± equal, withering in fruit and exposing capsule, midribs somewhat thickened, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary, when present, crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 8–70 mm.

substellate, 4–9 mm;

tepals spreading, white with green or brownish midveins, lanceolate to elliptic, ± equal, withering and exposing capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 10–30 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat shining;

cells smooth, irregularly shaped, with ± sinuous walls.