Flora of North America species comparison

freely branching, forming large colonies, slender, 0.8–0.9 cm diam., covered with remains of old leaves;

roots fibrous.

superficial or only slightly buried in peaty soil, cordlike portions usually 1-branched, 40 cm × 2–5 mm, bearing scalelike leaves at nodes;

nodal roots absent.

1–4-branched, solid, 1.5–7 dm.

simple or 1–2-branched, 3–8 dm.

basal with blade yellow-green, occasionally darker green, sometimes flushed pink or red basally, prominently ribbed, linear, 4.5–10 dm × 2 cm, apex acute;

cauline 1–3, reduced.

basal with blade slightly ribbed, 3–6 dm × 0.2–0.5 cm;

cauline 1–4, erect.

(2–)3-flowered, branch units 2–3-flowered;

spathes opposite or separated, divergent, green, sometimes flushed purple basally, lanceolate-acuminate, 6–12 cm × 7–12 mm.

1–3-flowered, branch units 1–2-flowered;

spathes pale brown, narrowly lanceolate, 2–4 cm, scarious or partially membranaceous.

perianth deep red-purple, lavender, gray-blue, cream, or white, with gold signal and blue or purple veins;

floral tube 1.5–2.8 cm, usually widening to bowl shape at base of flower;

sepals oblanceolate to obovate, 5–9 × 1.4–3 cm, base gradually attenuate, apex obtusely rounded;

petals oblanceolate, 4.5–7 × 0.9–1.8 cm, base attenuate to narrow claw;

ovary elliptic-oval, sharply triangular in cross section, 3–4 cm;

style 1.7–3.5 cm;

crests overlapping, subquadrate, 1–2 cm, margins coarsely toothed;

stigmas triangular;

pedicel 2–5 cm.

perianth pale blue or blue-violet;

floral tube 0.2–0.3 cm;

sepals pale violet, veined deep violet basally, ovate, 4–5 × 1.3–2 cm, base abruptly attenuate;

petals lavender, oblanceolate, 3.5–4.5 × 0.7–1.5 cm;

ovary trigonal, sharply angled;

style arched, narrow, 2–3 cm, crests divergent, quadrate, 0.5–0.7 cm, margins serrate;

stigmas sharply triangular;

pedicel somewhat flattened, 3–7 cm, exserted from spathe.

sharply triangular in cross section with ridge at each angle, tapering at both ends, remnant of floral tube forming tip at apex, 2.5–5 cm.

sharply 3-angled, almost winged, 3–4 × 1.2–1.4 cm, concave faces 6–14 mm wide.

dark brown, pyriform, wrinkled.

in 1 row per locule, buff to dark brown, pyriform, with convex sides, 3–4 mm, smooth.

= 40.

= 42.