Flora of North America species comparison

usually 1 of a cluster, sometimes short-rhizomatous basally, elongate, to 5 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray or brown, reticulate, cells very coarse-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate and regular or obscure.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–6, sheathing;

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, 25–50 cm × 3–7 mm, margins entire or minutely denticulate.

persistent, solitary, erect, terete or ± 4-angled, 30–50 cm × 1–3.5 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–25-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3–5-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex long-acuminate.

± stellate, 5–10 mm;

tepals spreading or reflexed, white or pink, lanceolate, ± equal, withering in fruit and exposing capsules, margins entire, apex acute, midrib becoming noticeably thickened;

stamens ± equaling tepals to exserted;

anthers purple;

pollen light yellow;

ovary conspicuously crested;

processes 6, central, usually connate in pairs across septa, ± erect, flattened, to 2 mm, margins lacerate, usually well developed in fruit;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurely lobed;

pedicel 15–25 mm, elongating in fruit.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

= 28.