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.

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

roots fleshy.

simple, solid, 1.5–2.5 dm.

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

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 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.

1–2-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.

clustered, 2–4-flowered;

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

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 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.

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

ovoid to oblong-elliptic, triangular in cross section, each angle 2-ribbed, 4–5 × 2–2.5 cm.

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

in 2 rows per locule, white, flattened or wedge-shaped, 4–5 mm, papery, wrinkled.

= 40.

= 40.