Flora of North America species comparison

5–20+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, ± translucent, yellow-brown, obscurely cellular-reticulate, thin, membranous, meshes delicate, cells vertically elongate, contorted, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate, or not visible.

generally 2–20+, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.5–1.2 × 0.5–1.2 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, ± wavy, V-shaped, without fibers;

inner coats yellow or white, cells obscure, arranged in vertical rows, forming a herringbone pattern or contorted, V-shaped.

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

blade solid, flat, not falcate, ± carinate, 15–50 cm × 3–15 mm, margins entire.

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

blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, not carinate, 7–40 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

persistent, clustered, 1–4, erect, solid, sharply 3-angled, 10–40 cm × 1–10 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–45 cm × 2–4 mm.

persistent, lax, loose, 3–15-flowered, ± 1-sided, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 1–2, 3-veined, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, apex acute.

shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, loose, 5–25-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

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

becoming pendent, campanulate, 10–18 mm;

tepals erect to spreading, white with prominent green midrib, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming membranous in fruit, margins entire, apex acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 15–25 mm.

stellate, 6–10 mm;

tepals spreading at anthesis, white to pink, lance-ovate to broadly ovate, ± equal, becoming hyaline and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–35 mm.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

= 18.

= 14.