Flora of North America species comparison

2–10+, not rhizomatous, ovoid or more elongate, 1–2.5 × 0.8–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray or brown, reticulate, cells rather coarse-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate and regular or obscure.

1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizomes, rhizomes absent, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.8 cm;

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

inner coats white or pink, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

persistent, usually green at anthesis, usually 3–5, sheathing less than 1/4 scape;

blade solid, ± straight, flat, channeled, (6–)12–30 cm × 1–3(–5) mm, margins entire or denticulate.

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

blade solid, flat, falcate, 8–21 cm × 2–8 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete or somewhat 2-angled, 10–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, strongly flattened, winged distally, 5–25 cm × 1–4 mm.

persistent, erect, compact, 10–25-flowered, hemispheric to globose, not producing bulbils, or 0–5-flowered, largely replaced by ovoid, acuminate bulbils;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, mostly 1-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate, beakless.

persistent, erect, compact to ± loose, 10–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–9-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

urceolate-campanulate, (4–)6–8(–10) mm;

tepals erect or spreading, pink to white, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, not withering in fruit and permanently investing fruit, or withering if fruit not produced, midribs papillose, becoming callous-keeled, margins often obscurely toothed, apex obtuse to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary when present, inconspicuously crested;

processes 6, central, low, distinct or connate in pairs across septa, ± erect, rounded, margins entire, becoming variously developed or obsolete in fruit;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed;

pedicel becoming rigid and stiffly spreading in fruit, 8–13 mm.

conic to campanulate, 9–15 mm;

tepals erect, reddish purple or dingy white, lanceolate, ± equal, rigid and membranous in fruit, at least inner margins denticulate with minute glands, apex long-acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers purple or yellow;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crested;

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

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 8–15 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

= 14.