Flora of North America species comparison

1–3, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 1–1.8 × 1–1.7 cm;

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

inner coats white, cells obscure, ± transversely elongate, contorted.

1–4+, rhizomes, if present, secondary, inconspicuous, 2 cm or less including renewal bulb, ± thick, terminated by new bulb, parent bulbs disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and bulb coat, not basally clustered, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs or not, grayish or brownish, with or without obscure, delicate, cellular markings, sometimes striate, membranous, cells elongate, in regular vertical rows, without fibers;

inner bulb coats whitish or pinkish, cells obscure, ± quadrate or rectangular and vertically elongate.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, carinate, 20–75 cm × 5–10 mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–5, basally sheathing, sheaths not extended much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, channeled, 10–21 cm × 1–3 mm, margins and veins sometimes denticulate.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–60 cm × 2–4 mm.

persistent, solitary, occasionally 2 or more produced successively from single bulb, erect, solid, terete, 15–30 cm × 1–3 mm.

shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, loose, 5–40-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–7-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, loose, 5–20-flowered, conic, bulbils unknown;

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

stellate, 6–13 mm;

tepals spreading at anthesis, white to pale pink with purple midveins, lance-ovate to ovate, ± equal, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute, obtuse, or emarginate;

stamens included;

anthers purple and yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 15–40 mm.

stellate to campanulate, 4–8 mm;

tepals ± spreading, white or pale pink (particularly on midribs), lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery and withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel unequal, 10–20 mm.

coat shining;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

= 14.

= 14.