Flora of North America species comparison

pink, freely branching, producing extensive clumps, 2–3 cm diam., with fibrous remains of old leaves;

roots fleshy.

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

usually 1-branched, solid, 7–15 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 deciduous, at first erect, then recurved, blade dark green, with prominent median thickening, 4–10 dm × 2–3 cm, slightly glaucous basally;

cauline equaling inflorescence unit.

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.

4–12-flowered;

spathes green with brown margins, outer spathe strongly keeled, inner without keel, 6–9 cm, subequal, margins not scarious.

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 bright yellow;

floral tube 0.6–0.8 cm, with no constriction into ovary;

sepals bright yellow or cream colored, lanceolate to ovate or suborbiculate, 5–7.5 × 3–4 cm, base abruptly attenuate, claw ca. 1/2 length of limb, signal a darker yellow basal patch limited by short, brown lines;

petals without veining, lanceolate to spatulate, 2–3 cm;

ovary triangular in cross section with concave sides and narrow groove at each angle, 1.5 cm;

style keeled, 3–4 cm, crests spreading, 1–1.2 cm, laciniate at apex;

stigmas rounded with prominent tongue;

pedicel 2.5–7 cm.

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.

prismatic to oblong-ovoid, obscurely 3-angled with obvious groove at each angle, 3.5–6 cm, beak 5 mm.

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

D-shaped, flattened, 6–7 mm, corky, lustrous.

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

= 34.

= 42, 44.