Flora of North America species comparison

solitary, not basally clustered, replaced annually by new bulbs borne terminally on rhizome;

rhizomes 1–3, conspicuous, slender, 2–3 cm, scaly;

parent bulbs persisting, often not collected, oblique-ovoid, 1–2.5 × 1 cm;

outer coats enclosing parent bulbs, grayish, lacking cellular reticulation, membranous, without fibers;

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

1–10+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, subglobose, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, brown, cellular-reticulate, membranous, reticulum delicate, cells ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, ± rectangular, vertically elongate.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, not falcate, 20–35 cm × 2–3 mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, sheathing proximal 1/5–1/4 scape;

blade solid, flat, not falcate, carinate, 15–50 cm × 5–20 mm, margins entire to denticulate.

solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–30 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, ± triquetrous, 2-edged or slightly winged proximally, terete distally, 20–60 cm × 2–7 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 5–15(–22)-flowered, globose to hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3-veined, ovate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex acute.

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

spathe bract persistent, 1, 8–9-veined, ovate, ± equal, equaling pedicel, apex acute.

stellate, 6–9 mm;

tepals erect, pink with purplish or pinkish midveins, oblong to lanceolate, slightly carinate basally, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or pink;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crestless, 3-grooved with thickened ridge on either side of groove;

style linear, shorter than stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20(–50) mm.

± erect, saucer-shaped, 7–12 mm;

tepals spreading, white, broadly elliptic, ± equal, becoming membranous and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 15–35 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat not known.

= 28.