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.

compact, freely branching, forming dense clumps, 0.9–1.2 cm diam., covered with remnants of old leaves.

simple, solid, slender, 2–2.5 dm.

simple or 1–3-branched, hollow, 6–12 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.

dying back in winter, blade dark green, often tinged pink at base, 4–8 dm × 0.4–0.6 cm.

1(–2)-flowered;

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

3–5-flowered, lateral units 2–3-flowered;

spathes brown, to 4 cm, narrow, papery, apex acute.

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 light to dark blue-violet to white;

floral tube with indistinct ribs, circular, ca. 1 cm;

sepals flaring or curving downward apically, widely orbiculate, 5–7 × 2–2.5 cm, base abruptly attenuate into claw with two narrow flanges basally, signal white, semicircular, with dark violet veins basally;

petals erect, narrowly elliptic-obovate, 4.5–5.5 × 1.5–1.8 cm;

ovary roundly triangular, spindle-shaped, 1.5–2 cm;

style pale blue, bluntly keeled, 4–5 cm, crests overlapping, triangular, margins crenate;

stigmas tonguelike projections, triangular;

pedicel 1–15 cm, unequal, later flowers in each spathe with longer pedicel.

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

roundly triangular with low ridges at angles, 3–4.5 × 1–1.3 cm, smooth, apex with extremely short tip, opening only in upper 1/4–1/3 of capsule.

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

in 2 rows per locule, dark brown, D-shaped, flattened, 5 × 3 mm, slightly roughened by small, rounded protuberances.

= 40.

= 28.