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.

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.9–1.7 × 0.8–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulb, dark reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats light brown to white, cells obscure, quadrate.

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, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 20–55 cm × 1–4 mm.

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, terete, 15–60 cm × 1–3.5 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, 15–100-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, 5–8-veined, lanceolate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex mucronate to acuminate or long-acuminate.

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.

stellate to ± campanulate, 5–8 mm;

tepals spreading to ± erect, white to pink or pale lavender with darker midveins, ovate to oblong, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens ± equaling tepals to long-exserted;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins ± irregularly denticulate to laciniate;

style linear, equaling stamens or longer;

stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved;

pedicel 6–25 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

= 14.