Flora of North America species comparison

solitary, replaced annually by new bulbs borne terminally on secondary rhizome;

rhizomes 1–3, conspicuous, to 5 cm, smooth;

parent bulbs disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and bulb coat, ovoid to oblique-ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats not enclosing bulbs, pale brown, delicately cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells ± rectangular, without fibers;

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

1–3, larger bulbs each bearing 3–10 basal bulbels surrounding roots, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, thin, membranous, lacking reticulation, without persistent fibers;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate or contorted, walls very sinuous.

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

blade solid, flattened, sometimes carinate abaxially, ± falcate, 18–50 cm × 4–10 mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–6, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blades solid, flat, channeled, 15–40 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–80 cm × 2–7 mm.

persistent, 1–3, clustered, erect, solid, terete, 15–40 cm × 1–4 mm.

persistent, erect, loose, 15–35-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–8-veined, lance-ovate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 3–4, 4–5-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

stellate, 11–15 mm;

tepals spreading, bright pink or rarely white, obovate to ovate, unequal, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse or emarginate, inner shorter and narrower than outer;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow or gray;

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

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed or obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 15–40 mm.

± stellate to campanulate, 5–6 mm;

tepals erect or ± spreading, ± flexuous, white or pinkish, lanceolate, ± equal, papery and withering away from fruit, margins entire or nearly so, apex obtuse, midribs thickened;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed to distinctly lobed;

pedicel 1–2.5 mm, elongating in fruit.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

= 14.

= 14.