Flora of North America species comparison

1–6+, replaced annually with new bulbs borne terminally on rhizomes;

rhizomes 1–2, secondary, short;

parent bulb disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and shriveled bulb coat, oblique-ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.8 cm;

outer coats not or only partially enclosing bulbs, brown to gray-brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells very obscurely quadrate or not visible.

1–3+, variable, some with poorly developed bulbs, others ovoid with 1–2 large bulbs and several yellowish to light brown bulbels at base, 0.4–1(–3) × 0.4–1(–1.5) cm;

outer coat enclosing 1 or more bulbs, yellowish, membranous;

inner coats white to light brown, cells not evident, fibers ± parallel, few.

usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, (1–)2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, falcate, 10–33 cm × 1.5–10 mm, margins sometimes minutely denticulate.

withering from tips by anthesis, 6–9, sheathing 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade solid, flat, channeled, 1–5 cm × 2–20(–30) mm, margins scabrid.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, ± erect, solid, flattened, winged distally, wings frequently crenulate proximal to umbel, 5–15 cm × 1–5 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, fistulose, terete, 45–180 cm × 3–7 mm.

persistent, erect, compact, 10–25-flowered, conic to hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 8–10-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acute.

persistent, erect, compact, to 500-flowered, few-flowered in variants with bulbils, globose;

spathe bracts persistent, 3–5, 2–3-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex abruptly narrowed to beak, beak to 10 cm.

campanulate, 6–12 mm;

tepals erect, pinkish with deeper pink midveins, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary obscurely crested;

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

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 6–16 mm.

urceolate, 4–5.5 mm;

tepals erect, white, pink, or dark red, unequal, becoming papery and investing capsule in fruit;

outer tepal oblong-lanceolate, margins entire, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronate;

inner tepal narrowly ovate to spatulate, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens equaling perianth or exserted;

outer filaments simple, inner with 2 prominent lateral teeth that exceed anther-bearing portion, glabrous;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 15–50 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat not known.

= 14.