Flora of North America species comparison

linear or linear-attenuate, abruptly, then gradually, narrowing, 10–40(–50) cm, apex acute or obtuse.

linear-attenuate, to 10 cm, apex subulate-filiform.

scape sheaths shorter than principal leaves;

scapes linear, distally 1–2(–3) mm wide, multiribbed;

heads dull white, hemispheric to nearly globose, 7–15 mm wide, hard, very slightly flattened when pressed;

receptacle copiously hairy;

involucral bracts reflexed, obscured by reflexed proximal bracteoles and flowers, straw-colored, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 2–4 mm, margins erose to entire, apex acute, glabrous or apex with white, club-shaped hairs;

inner bracts and receptacular bracteoles pale, linear to oblong or lanceolate, 3–4 mm, margins entire, sometimes becoming erose, apex narrowly acuminate, glabrous or apex with white, club-shaped hairs.

scape sheaths shorter than principal leaves, loose;

scapes filiform, 0.5 mm wide, 6–8-ribbed;

mature head silvery-gray, ovoid to nearly globose, 4–5 mm wide, soft;

receptacle sparsely pilose, hairs translucent;

involucral bracts spreading-ascending, not obscured by bracteoles and flowers of mature heads, pale, ovate to oblong, oblanceolate or broadly obovate, grading narrower inward, 2 mm, margins often lacerate or erose, apex acute, glabrous;

receptacular bracts pale except for gray midzone, linear-oblong, 2 mm, margins erose or entire, apex acute, glabrous.

sepals 2, yellow-white, linear, curved, 3 mm, distal surface abaxially, adaxially with white, club-shaped hairs;

androphore club-shaped;

petals 2, yellow-white, translucent, triangular to linear, nearly equal, with small tuft of white, club-shaped hairs abaxially at apex;

stamens 4;

anthers black.

sepals 3, dark, either deeply and narrowly lobed or broadly spatulate, 3-dentate, 1.5 mm, distally with scattered white, linear, short hairs;

androphore flaring;

petals 3, oblong, apex with white, tapering hairs;

stamens 6;

anthers yellow.

sepals 2, yellow-white, linear, 2–3 mm, apex acute, abaxially with white, club-shaped hairs at apex;

petals 2, pale, spatulate or narrowly elliptic, 1–2 mm, abaxially with translucent hairs proximally, white, club-shaped hairs distally, or adaxially glabrescent;

pistil 2-carpellate.

sepals 3, 2 linear-elliptic, 1 broadly elliptic-oblanceolate, concave, 1.5 mm, apex acute, sometimes with few translucent hairs;

gynophore 1 mm with 3 spreading, peglike, minute appendages;

pistil 3-carpellate.

pale brown, ellipsoid, 0.75–1 mm, very finely cancellate or sometimes with cancellae concealed by rows of delicate nearly appressed hairs.

pale brown, ovoid or broadly ellipsoid, 4.5 mm, finely reticulate, alveolae horizontally rectangular.