Flora of North America species comparison

usually solitary, without basal bulbels, ovoid, 1–1.8 × 1–1.2 cm;

outer coats enclosing single bulb, grayish, reticulate, cells fine-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate, regular.

1–5, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.8 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, membranous, cellular-reticulate, cells quadrate, polygonal, or ± rectangular, ± transversely elongate, without fibers;

inner coats white, reticulation absent or cells obscure, ± quadrate.

persistent, withering by anthesis, 2, sheathing;

blade solid, flat, linear, 12–35 cm × 3–6 mm, margins entire or denticulate.

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

blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 5–22 cm × 0.5–14 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete or ± 3–4-angled, 20–40 cm × 1–3.5 mm.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 2–17 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–25-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 5–7-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact, 6–65-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3(–5), 5-8-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate to apiculate.

± stellate, 7–9 mm;

tepals spreading to reflexed, white to pinkish or purple, lanceolate, ± equal, remaining thin and becoming strongly reflexed in fruit, margins entire, apex acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary conspicuously crested;

processes 6, central, irregularly contorted;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 14–45 mm.

campanulate, 4–12 mm;

tepals erect, white or pink with dark purplish midveins, lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, obscure to ± prominent, rounded, central, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens or longer;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 2–14(–20) mm.

coat shining;

cells each with obscure, central papilla.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

= 14.