Flora of North America species comparison

1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, ovoid to ± globose, 1–2 × 0.7–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray to grayish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white or pinkish, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid to ± globose, 0.8–1.2 × 0.7–1.2 cm;

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

inner coats white, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

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

blade solid, flat, ± falcate, 8–15 cm × 2–8 mm, margins entire.

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

blades solid, subterete, 3–20 cm × 0.5–1 mm, margins entire.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, flattened, frequently ± winged distally, or, in smaller specimens, ± terete, 3–12 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, (3–)5–15(–17) cm × 0.5–2 mm.

persistent, erect, compact, 5–30-flowered, hemispheric to conic, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 12–14-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute to acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact, 4–15-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–5-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex mucronate.

narrowly campanulate, 6–9 mm;

tepals erect, ± spreading toward tips, white or tinged with pink, with broad, dark, reddish purple or brown midvein, oblong to elliptic, unequal, outer longer, wider than inner, becoming papery and investing capsule, not carinate in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to ± acute;

stamens included;

anthers purple or yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary obscurely crested;

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

style linear, ± equaling tepals;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed or obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 3–12 mm.

campanulate, 5–7 mm;

tepals erect, white to pale pink, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit and remaining erect, margins entire, apex acute or obtuse, becoming ± involute at tip and appearing short-acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers white;

pollen white;

ovary crested or crestless;

processes 3, central, rounded, very minute, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 4–12 mm.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

= 14.

= 14.