Flora of North America species comparison

1–5, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.8 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, membranous, cellular-reticulate, cells quadrate, polygonal, or ± rectangular, ± transversely elongate, without fibers;

inner coats white, reticulation absent or cells obscure, ± quadrate.

1–3, borne on stout, ± horizontal rhizome, elongate, cylindric or conic, 0.5–1.5 × 0.7–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, reticulate, cells ± fine-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats white, cells closely parallel, elongate.

usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 1–2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 5–22 cm × 0.5–14 mm, margins entire.

withering from tip by anthesis, 2–5, sheathing scape to ± soil level;

blade solid, flat, carinate abaxially, 20–40 cm × 2–6 mm, margins entire.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 2–17 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 30–50 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, erect, compact, 6–65-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3(–5), 5-8-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate to apiculate.

persistent, erect, loose, 20–50-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 1–3, 3–7-veined, lance-ovate, shorter than pedicel, apex acuminate.

campanulate, 4–12 mm;

tepals erect, white or pink with dark purplish midveins, lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, obscure to ± prominent, rounded, central, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens or longer;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 2–14(–20) mm.

substellate, 4–9 mm;

tepals spreading, white with green or brownish midveins, lanceolate to elliptic, ± equal, withering and exposing capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 10–30 mm.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

coat shining;

cells smooth, irregularly shaped, with ± sinuous walls.