Flora of North America species comparison

5–20, clustered, stipitate, hard-shelled, asymmetric, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulbs, brownish to yellowish, membranous, vertically striate, splitting into parallel strips and fibers, cells arranged in ± wavy rows, vertical;

inner coats white to light brown, cells obscure, vertically elongate.

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, 2–4, sheathing at least proximal 1/2 scape;

blade hollow below middle, terete, cylindric or filiform, not carinate, 20–60 cm × 2–4 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, solitary, erect, terete, 30–120 cm × 1.5–4 mm.

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

persistent, erect, ± compact, 0–50-flowered, subglobose to ovoid or hemispheric, flowering pedicels all or in part replaced by bulbils;

bulbils sessile, basally narrowed, 4–6 × 2–3 mm;

spathe bract caducous, 1, 2–several-veined, ovate, apex caudate, beaked, beak ± equaling or longer than base.

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.

campanulate, 3–4 mm;

tepals erect, greenish to purple, elliptic-lanceolate, ± equal, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens exserted, outer 3 filaments without appendages, inner 3 filaments with 2 prominent lateral appendages;

anthers purple;

pollen white;

ovary crestless;

style exserted, linear, ± equaling stamen;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; flowering pedicel 10–20 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 shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

= 32, 40.

= 14.