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, clustered on thick, iris-like rhizome, elongate, 2–3 × 0.5–1 cm;

outer coats enclosing single bulb, brownish, membranous, minutely striate, cells in regular vertical rows, elongate, not fibrous-reticulate, fibers persistent, parallel, few, coarse;

inner coats whitish or pinkish, minutely striate, cells in vertical rows, elongate.

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.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–6, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil level;

blade solid, flat, 8–25 cm × 4–8 mm, margins entire.

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, solid, flattened, narrowly winged distally, 34–45 cm × 1–3 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, loose, 18–23-flowered, conic, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–5-veined, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, apex acute.

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.

campanulate, 8–10 mm;

tepals erect, pink, elliptic, ± equal, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse, midribs not thickened;

stamens ± equaling tepals;

anthers white or purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 15–20 mm, elongating in fruit.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull or shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

= 14.

= 14.