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.

1–3, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to subglobose, 1–2 × 0.9–1.7 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown to yellow-brown or gray, membranous, ± prominently cellular-reticulate, cells in ± regular vertical rows, narrowly rectangular, transversely elongate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, narrowly rectangular, transversely elongate, or 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, green or withering only at tip at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, falcate, 9–18 cm × 2–3 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, ± flattened, not winged, 3–10 cm × 1–2 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, 6–20-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–9-veined, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal, apex acute to abruptly 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.

narrowly campanulate, 6–13 mm;

tepals erect, white to pinkish with narrow to very broad, purple midvein, oblong-lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery, investing capsule in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers light yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

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

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 5–11 mm.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

= 14.