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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3–5-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex long-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, 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 dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

= 18.

= 28.