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–several, attached to ± oblique rhizome, cylindric-conic, 5–6 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown to grayish brown, reticulate, cells fine-meshed, open, ± fibrous;

inner coat white to light brown, not appearing cellular, 10–18-veined, veins prominent, parallel.

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, 2–3, sheathing proximal 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade solid, flat, narrowly lanceolate to broadly elliptic, 10–20 cm × 15–90 mm, base evidently petiolate, margins entire;

petiole 1–20 cm.

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, terete distally, 2-edged proximally, 30–70 cm × 2–3 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, 20–35-flowered, hemispheric, bulbels unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 1–2, 3–6-veined, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal, apex obtuse, nearly beakless.

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, 4–5 mm;

tepals spreading, white or greenish white, outer lanceolate, inner narrowly ovate, ± equal, reflexed in age, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acute or obtuse;

stamens exserted;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style exserted, linear, equaling stamens or longer;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened;

pedicel 10–30 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat not known.

= 14.