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.

1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, ovoid to ± globose, 1–2 × 0.7–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray to grayish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white or pinkish, 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.

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

blade solid, flat, ± falcate, 8–15 cm × 2–8 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.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, flattened, frequently ± winged distally, or, in smaller specimens, ± terete, 3–12 cm × 0.5–2 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, 5–30-flowered, hemispheric to conic, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 12–14-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute to 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.

narrowly campanulate, 6–9 mm;

tepals erect, ± spreading toward tips, white or tinged with pink, with broad, dark, reddish purple or brown midvein, oblong to elliptic, unequal, outer longer, wider than inner, becoming papery and investing capsule, not carinate in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to ± acute;

stamens included;

anthers purple or yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary obscurely crested;

processes 3, central, low, rounded, margins entire;

style linear, ± equaling tepals;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed or obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 3–12 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

= 14.

= 14.