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, bearing cluster of short-stalked, basal bulbels, ovoid, 1.2–2 × 1.2–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish, reticulate, cells very coarse-meshed, open, fibrous;

inner coats whitish, cells 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.

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

blade solid, flat, channeled, 10–40 cm × 1–4 mm, margins entire.

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

persistent, often 2 or more successively produced from single bulb, erect, ± terete, 10–45 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, usually 10–25-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, usually 3, 3–7-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.

urceolate, 5–7 mm;

tepals erect, white with pinkish midribs, aging to pink, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming callous-keeled and permanently investing capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse or even emarginate to acute;

stamens ± equaling tepals;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or obscurelylobed, pedicel 8–28 mm, elongating in fruit.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat shining;, cells smooth.

= 14.

= 14.