Flora of North America species comparison

fleshy, stout, tufted.

tuberous.

cespitose, usually erect to ascending (rarely decumbent, rooting at nodes).

erect to ascending.

leaf sheath auriculate at apex;

blade sessile or petiolate, linear to lanceolate (rarely lanceolate-ovate), 5–15 × 0.3–4 cm, apex acuminate (rarely acute).

blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 4–15 × 0.4–1 cm, apex acuminate, glabrous to puberulent.

distal cyme vestigial, included;

spathes solitary or clustered, green, pedunculate, not at all to strongly falcate, 1–2.5(–4) × 0.7–1.5(–2.5) cm, margins longly connate, glabrous except along connate edge, apex acute to acuminate, sometimes purple, usually variously pubescent;

peduncles 0.5–1(–2) cm.

distal cyme usually 1-flowered, exserted;

spathes solitary, green, often suffused and/or striped with purple, pedunculate, falcate or not, 2.5–8 × 0.7–1.7 cm, margins distinct, scabrous, not ciliate, apex acuminate, glabrous to puberulent;

peduncles 1.5–9.5 cm.

bisexual and staminate, 1.5–4 cm wide;

proximal petal minute, white, distal petals blue (rarely lavender or white);

staminodes 3, staminodes and medial stamen entirely yellow;

antherodes cruciform.

bisexual and staminate;

pedicels puberulent;

petals dark blue, proximal petal somewhat smaller;

staminodes 3;

antherodes yellow, cruciform.

3-locular, 2-valved (very rarely 3-valved), 3.5–4.5 × 3–5 mm;

abaxial locule warty, indehiscent (very rarely smooth and dehiscent);

adaxial locules smooth, dehiscent.

3-locular, 2-valved, 5–6 mm, apiculate.

3, brown, with soft, whitish tissue at both ends or in a band, 2.4–3.5 × 2.3–2.8 mm, nearly smooth.

5, brown, 2.2–2.7 × 1.7–2.2 mm, rugose, pitted.

= 60.