Flora of North America species comparison

much branched, forming dense clumps, dark red-brown, very slender, 0.3–0.6 cm diam., covered with remains of old leaves;

roots fibrous.

producing fleshy roots, and 2–8 cordlike branches at apex, cordlike portion 2–3 dm × 1–2 mm, gradually enlarging to 8–12 mm diam., nodes with brown, scalelike leaves and rarely roots.

simple, solid, 1.5–2.5 dm.

simple, 2.5–4.5 cm.

basal few, laxly spreading, longer than stem, blade bright dark green adaxially, flushed pink basally, veins subprominent, linear, 2.8–4.8 dm × 0.5–0.8 cm, rather glaucous abaxially, margins thickened, apex acute;

cauline imbricated, sheathing, free only at tips, bracteiform, blade green edged with pink, strongly striate, inflated, apex acuminate.

basal 6–8, proximal 2–3 sheathing, blade light brown with darker brown line along midrib at base, falcate, scarious, distal 4–5 not sheathing, blade green or yellowish green, with few, subprominent veins, broadly ensiform, slightly falcate, to 1.5 dm × 1–2.5 cm, enlarging to 4 dm after anthesis;

cauline 2–3, sheathing, proximal very similar to basal leaves, distal 1 or 2 reduced, herbaceous, blade falcate, not inflated.

1–2-flowered;

spathes green with prominent red margins, inflated, broadly lanceolate-ovate, 5.6–7 cm × 8–13 mm, unequal, outer shorter than inner, herbaceous, apex acuminate.

1–2-flowered;

spathes green, sharply keeled, somewhat inflated, 2–6 cm, unequal, outer shorter than inner.

perianth pale creamy yellow flushed with pale lavender, with conspicuous brownish purple lines;

floral tube linear, 3–5 cm, somewhat dilated apically;

sepals widely spreading, veined and dotted with deeper purple on claw and limb, oblanceolate, 5.5–8.4 × 1.6–2.7 cm;

petals spreading, lanceolate, 5–7 × 1–2 cm, margins sinuate;

ovary trigonal in cross section with groove along each angle, narrow, 1–1.5 cm;

style 2–3 cm, crests narrowly semiovate or nearly linear, laciniate, 1–2 cm;

stigmas rounded-truncate to 2-lobed, never triangular, margins minutely denticulate;

pedicel 1–2 cm.

perianth blue, lilac-purple, or white;

floral tube filiform, widening distally, 4–8 cm, lifting expanded portion of flower out of spathes;

sepals spreading, with 3 parallel, toothed, crested ridges on white signal bordered with purple, tapering gradually into claw, 3–6 × 1.5–2.5 cm, base gradually attenuate, apex rounded, emarginate;

petals spreading, same color as sepals, oblanceolate, 3–4 × 1–2 cm;

ovary triangular, with shallow groove along each face, 0.6–1 cm;

style 1.5 cm, crests narrowly triangular, 6–9 mm;

stigmas oblong, margins entire;

pedicel 0.7–1.8 cm.

oblong-ovoid, trigonal, somewhat beaked, 2–3 cm.

usually enclosed in spathes, oval, sharply triangular, each angle ridged, 1–1.5 cm.

light brown, D-shaped, oblong-ovoid, thick, finely wrinkled.

yellowish brown, 3.2–3.5 mm, smooth, with narrow, white appendage wrapped around seed, 3.4–4 mm, quickly drying upon exposure to air.

= 40.

= 24, 32.