Flora of North America species comparison

freely branching, forming compact tufts, slender, 0.3–0.4 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.

simple, solid, slender, 2–2.5 dm.

simple or 1–2-branched, 3–8 dm.

basal evergreen, abundant, blade dark, shining green on one side, lighter green on the other, pink to deep purple basally, 3.5 dm × 0.2–0.4 cm, longer than flowering stem, margins not thickened;

cauline 2–4, sheathing stem for about 2/3 length, foliaceous, spreading, blade not inflated, 4–9 cm.

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

cauline 1–4, erect.

1(–2)-flowered;

spathes closely enclosing ovary and floral tube, broadly lanceolate to ovate, 3.3–6 cm × 5–7 mm, herbaceous, margins scarious.

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

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

perianth usually dark golden yellow, cream, pink, lavender, or purple, heavily veined purple or brown;

floral tube 1.5–3 cm;

sepals usually yellow with heavy veining, broadly oblanceolate, 4.5–6 × 1.7–3 cm, base gradually attenuate, margins often wavy;

petals same color as sepals with lighter veining, narrowly oblanceolate, 4–5.7 × 0.9–1.6 cm, base gradually attenuate;

ovary roundly triangular in cross section, 1.5–1.8 cm;

style 2–2.6 cm, crests overlapping, subquadrate to semiovate, 0.9–1.4 cm, margins irregularly toothed;

stigmas triangular, margins entire;

pedicel 0.4–1.3 cm at anthesis.

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.

oblong-oval, circular in cross section, 2.5 × 1.2 cm.

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

in 2 rows per locule, dark brown, oval, sharply angled, 3 mm, wrinkled, pitted.

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

= 40.

= 42.