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.

sparingly short-branched, forming dense clumps, 1–1.5 cm diam., hard, with old leaf bases at nodes;

roots fleshy.

simple or 1–2-branched, 3–8 dm.

slightly flattened, with 1–2 short branches, solid, 4–12 dm.

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

cauline 1–4, erect.

basal erect, blade with slight spiral twist and central ridge, 3.5–8 dm × 1–2 cm, stiff, harsh, fibrous, glaucous;

cauline 2–3, 1–2 subtending floral clusters, blade reduced.

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

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

clustered, 2–4-flowered;

spathes white, 3–5 cm, subequal, papery.

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 white;

floral tube funnelform, 1–2.5 cm;

sepals spreading and arching downward, with large yellow basal area, broadly orbicular, 8–10 × 3–6 cm, apex rounded, deeply emarginate;

petals white, spatulate, 4–6 × 1–1.5 cm, base gradually attenuate, apex emarginate;

ovary triangular in cross section with 2 ribs at each angle, 2–2.5 cm;

style white, with parallel sides, 4–5 cm, crests erect, triangular, 1–2 cm;

stigmas 2-lobed;

pedicel 2.5–7.5 cm.

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

ovoid to oblong-elliptic, triangular in cross section, each angle 2-ribbed, 4–5 × 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, white, flattened or wedge-shaped, 4–5 mm, papery, wrinkled.

= 42.

= 40.