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.

generally 2–20+, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.5–1.2 × 0.5–1.2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray-brown to brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells arranged in ± vertical rows, forming irregular herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, ± wavy, V-shaped, without fibers;

inner coats yellow or white, cells obscure, arranged in vertical rows, forming a herringbone pattern or contorted, V-shaped.

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.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, not carinate, 7–40 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

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

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–45 cm × 2–4 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.

shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, loose, 5–25-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–5-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± 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.

stellate, 6–10 mm;

tepals spreading at anthesis, white to pink, lance-ovate to broadly ovate, ± equal, becoming hyaline and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–35 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

= 14.