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.

1–50+, ovoid, 0.2–1.5 × 0.2–1 cm;

outer coats surrounding numerous, very dark purple bulbels, usually white or greenish, membranous, sometimes breaking into ± parallel, fibrous strips;

inner coats white, 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.

persistent, 2–5, sheathing 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade solid, flat or channeled, carinate, 15–40 cm × 2–5(–7) mm, margins entire.

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

persistent, solitary, erect, ± solid, 25–90 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, very dense, 80–200-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts caducous, 2, 7–12-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex narrowed to beak, beak to 2 cm.

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.

campanulate, 4–7 mm;

tepals erect, purple, or inner with broad whitish margins and purple midvein, oblong to ovate, ± equal, becoming keeled and ± rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse;

stamens included;

filaments: outer unlobed, inner with 2 prominent teeth on either side of anther, teeth 2–3 times anther-bearing portion, usually papillose to ciliate;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen light yellow to white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling anther-bearing portion of stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicels 5–30 mm, outer much shorter than inner.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

coat dull;

cells each with central papilla.