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 or more, not attached to rhizome, ovoid, 1.2–2 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulbs, brown to grayish brown, fibrous, fibers close, ± parallel;

inner coats white to light brown, not cellular.

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.

withering from tip by anthesis, 2–4, sheathing proximal 1/2+ scape;

blade fistulose proximally, solid distally, terete, linear to filiform, prominently ribbed proximally, channeled distally, 1.5–2.5 cm × 0.5–5 mm, margins and veins usually scabrid with minute teeth, apex acute.

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

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 25–100 cm × 4–8 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, 0–40-flowered, subglobose, with few to many bulbils or with bulbils only;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4–9-veined, lanceolate, unequal, apex acuminate into beak, beak long, slender, to 20 cm, ± equaling or longer than base.

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.

usually aborting before capsules mature, if present, campanulate, 6–8 mm;

tepals erect, whitish or pinkish to purple, outer narrowly obovate, inner ± elliptic, unequal, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers yellow to reddish;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 15–60 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat unknown;

capsules only rarely produced.