Flora of North America species comparison

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.

freely branching, producing extensive clumps, 1–2.5 cm diam.

simple or 1–2-branched, 3–8 dm.

declining or semi- erect, sharply zigzag, with short branch at each of 2–3 bends, leaf at every bend, flower bud at every bend, solid, 2.5–3 dm.

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

cauline 1–4, erect.

basal erect, spreading, or prostrate, blade deep green, ensiform, 3.5–7 dm × 1.5–3.5 cm, somewhat glaucous;

cauline at each of 2–3 nodes, subtending and exceeding short branch and flower, blade 2–6 dm.

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

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

with terminal unit 2-flowered, each short branch unit 1-flowered;

spathes foliaceous, lanceolate, 3–5 cm, subequal, apex acute;

outer green, exceeding inner;

inner partly scarious.

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.

perianth rich blue or blue-violet;

floral tube funnelform, 1–2 cm;

sepals ovate, 7.5–9 × 2.5–3 cm, base abruptly attenuate, claw light greenish yellow with darker veins, with prominent yellow midrib and large, yellow-white signal at union of limb and claw;

petals erect or spreading-erect, lighter blue than sepals, oblanceolate, 5–6.5 × 1.5–2 cm;

ovary prominently 6-angled, 1–1.3 cm;

style greenish, 3.5–4 cm, crests reflexed, semiovoid to subquadrate, 1.2–1.5 cm, margins irregularly toothed or entire;

stigmas 2-lobed, lobes rounded-deltoid;

pedicel 1–1.3 cm.

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

hexagonal to almost circular in cross section with 6 equally placed ribs, with short beak at apex, 3–5 × 2–2.5 cm.

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

in 2 rows per locule, light brown, irregularly circular, flattened, 3–5 mm, very corky.

= 42.

= 42, 44.