Flora of North America species comparison

2–6, usually borne on short rhizome, ovoid-conic, 1.5–6 × 1.5–3 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish to grayish, reticulate, cells finely fibrous;

inner coat white, obscurely cellular, cells irregularly arranged.

1–3+, variable, some with poorly developed bulbs, others ovoid with 1–2 large bulbs and several yellowish to light brown bulbels at base, 0.4–1(–3) × 0.4–1(–1.5) cm;

outer coat enclosing 1 or more bulbs, yellowish, membranous;

inner coats white to light brown, cells not evident, fibers ± parallel, few.

ephemeral, usually absent at anthesis, 2–3, basal;

blade solid, flat, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, (15–)20–30(–40) cm × 15–90 mm, tapering to long, slender petiole, margins entire.

withering from tips by anthesis, 6–9, sheathing 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade solid, flat, channeled, 1–5 cm × 2–20(–30) mm, margins scabrid.

persistent, solitary, flexuous distally, terete, 10–40 cm × 2–4 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, fistulose, terete, 45–180 cm × 3–7 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, (6–)30–50-flowered, obconic to ± hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

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

persistent, erect, compact, to 500-flowered, few-flowered in variants with bulbils, globose;

spathe bracts persistent, 3–5, 2–3-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex abruptly narrowed to beak, beak to 10 cm.

campanulate, 4–7 mm;

tepals erect, white to cream or yellowish, oblong to ovate, ± equal, not withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens ± equaling tepals;

anthers white to light yellow;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style included, linear, shorter than stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm.

urceolate, 4–5.5 mm;

tepals erect, white, pink, or dark red, unequal, becoming papery and investing capsule in fruit;

outer tepal oblong-lanceolate, margins entire, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronate;

inner tepal narrowly ovate to spatulate, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens equaling perianth or exserted;

outer filaments simple, inner with 2 prominent lateral teeth that exceed anther-bearing portion, glabrous;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 15–50 mm.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat not known.