Flora of North America species comparison

freely branching, producing dense clumps, slender, 0.5–0.7 cm diam., covered with bases of old leaves;

roots fibrous.

branching, forming extensive clumps, 1.5–2 cm diam., smooth except for narrow leaf scars that completely encircle rhizome.

simple, solid, 2–3 dm.

1–3-branched, 6–10 dm.

basal with blade sometimes pink to red basally, finely ribbed, linear, 3–3.5 dm × 0.5 cm, subglaucous, margins not thickened, apex acute;

cauline 1–3, imbricated, mostly free, bractlike, blade linear-lanceolate, inflated.

erect to spreading, blade green (some forms with white or yellow longitudinal stripes), ensiform, 3–6 dm × 3–4 cm, very glaucous, smooth.

(1–)2-flowered;

spathes often flushed with pink or red, lanceolate, 4–8 cm × 5–10 mm, subequal or unequal and inner somewhat longer than outer, rigid, apex acuminate.

with terminal unit 3-flowered, branch units 2–3-flowered;

distal branches subtended by scarious bracts, lower one to 15 cm, herbaceous, green;

spathes completely silvery white, 2–3.5 cm, scarious.

perianth pale cream with distinct veins of lavender, reddish brown, or brown, margins often distinctly crisped;

floral tube funnelform, 3–5.8 cm, slender, then expanding abruptly to base of flower;

sepals spreading outward from base and remaining in horizontal position for entire length, narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4–6.5 × 1.1–1.8 cm, base attenuate into long claw;

petals somewhat spreading, not strictly erect, 4.5–6.5 × 0.6–1.4 cm, base gradually attenuate;

ovary 1–2 cm, gradually tapering to each end;

style 2–3 cm, crests linear, undulate near tip, 1–2.5 cm;

stigmas triangular;

pedicel 0.8–1.8 cm at anthesis.

often very fragrant;

perianth light blue-violet to mauve-purple, one form with blue pigment limited as stipples or stitches along margin and/or along veins, with ground color white on both petals and sepals;

floral tube 1–1.3 cm;

sepals slightly reflexed, obovate, 7.8–8.3 × 5–5.3 cm, with wedge-shaped claw marked with brown veins, beard yellow with white tips;

petals blue-violet, in some forms lighter than sepals, with some brown veining at base and on claw, obovate, 8 × 5 cm;

ovary trigonal, 6-grooved, 1–1.5 cm;

style violet, fading paler along margins, keeled along midrib, 2–2.4 × 1 cm, crests rounded, 1.4 cm, apex acute;

stigmas rounded, margins entire;

pedicel very short, 2–3 mm.

oblong, round in cross section, 3–4 cm, base abruptly attenuate into pedicel, apex gradually acuminate into distinct beak apically.

borne on ends of stems and branches, oblong, trigonal, 6-grooved, 4–5 × 1.5–2 cm.

grayish brown, pyriform to oval, 3 mm, wrinkled.

in 2 rows per locule, dark brown, compressed, cubical, wrinkled.

= 40.

= 24.