Flora of North America species comparison

2–5+, clustered, often short-rhizomatous at base, rhizome not stout or iris-like, oblong, elongate, 1–3 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, grayish or brownish, membranous, minutely striate, cells in regular vertical rows, narrowly elongate, fibers persistent, parallel, few;

inner coats white to pink or reddish, cells in regular vertical rows, narrowly elongate.

usually solitary, forming rhizomes;

rhizomes 1–2, terminated by 1–3 new bulbs, short, slender;

parent bulb disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and bulb coats, not basally clustered, oblique-ovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.9–1.5 cm;

outer coats not enclosing bulbs, pale brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells polygonal to oblong, walls thick, obscurely sinuous, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells ± transversely elongate, intricately contorted.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–5, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil level;

blade solid, flat, channeled to broadly V-shaped in cross section, 10–25 cm × 1–6 mm, margins entire or denticulate.

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

blade solid, subterete to ± channeled, 10–28 cm × 1–2 mm, margins entire.

persistent, sometimes 2 or more produced successively from single bulb, usually clustered, nodding, solid, terete or ridged, particularly distally, sometimes flattened and narrowly winged, abruptly recurved near apex, 10–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–40 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, cernuous, loose, 8–35-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate, beakless.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–25-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

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

campanulate, 4–6 mm;

tepals ± erect, pink or white, elliptic-ovate, ± equal, withering in fruit, margins ± entire, apex ± obtuse, at least outer tepals strongly incurved, midribs not thickened;

stamens exserted;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary conspicuously crested;

processes 6, flattened, ± triangular, margins entire or toothed;

style exserted, linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 6–25 mm, becoming stouter in fruit, elongating and bending abruptly upward from near point of attachment.

campanulate, 11–16 mm;

tepals erect, pink to rose-purple, lanceolate, unequal, outer tepal longer and wider than inner, becoming rigid and keeled in fruit, margins finely denticulate (inner tepal more prominently so), apex acute to narrowly obtuse, becoming involute and appearing long-acuminate, flaring toward 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 10–25 mm.

coat dull or shining;

cells smooth, minutely roughened, or each with minute, central papilla.

coat shining;

cells minutely roughened.

= 14.

= 14.