Flora of North America species comparison

erect, without persistent leaf bases, glabrous;

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, stout, solid or partially hollow, slightly fistulose, jointed basally and disarticulating into ringlike segments, arising directly from the root.

persistent or marcescent, basal, 1 per node;

blade pilose.

terminal, subspicate, compact;

branches racemose distally, disarticulating into ringlike segments, round and smooth, sparsely pilose or glabrous;

bracts 3–5, connate basally, scalelike or semileaflike.

absent.

1 per node, not appressed to inflorescence branches, campanulate;

teeth 5, erect to spreading, apex acute.

not attenuate at base, without stipelike base;

perianth yellow to reddish yellow, hispid abaxially, glabrous adaxially;

tepals connate proximally 1/4–1/3 their length, dimorphic;

stamens included;

filaments glabrous.

light brown, not winged, 3-gonous, glabrous except for pilose beak.

embryo curved.