Flora of North America species comparison

many-branched, forming dense clumps, 2–4 cm diam., usually covered with remnants of old leaves;

roots fleshy.

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

rather weak, often falling over after flowering, solid, usually 1-branched, 5–10 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 erect or often flexible, blade gray-green to bright green, buff to purplish basally, with several prominent ribs in mature leaves, linear-ensiform, 6–8 dm × 2.5–3 cm, apex acute.

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.

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

spathes compact, often with brown striations, ridged, unequal, outer 3–8 cm, inner 8–14 cm, firm, herbaceous.

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 lavender to violet, rarely white;

floral tube constricted above ovary, 1–2 cm;

sepals spreading and arched, pale blue to purple with darker blue or purple lines, obovate to oval, 4–8.4 × 1.6–4 cm, base abruptly attenuate, claw green in median, bordered by yellow ground with blue or purple lines, yellow extending onto base of limb as finely pubescent signal patch;

petals oblong-lanceolate to oblong-spatulate, 3–7 × 1–3 cm, claw greenish yellow with blue or purplish lines, apex often emarginate;

ovary trigonal, 1.3–3.8 cm;

style inwardly auriculate at convergences, 3–4.5 cm, crests reflexed, 0.7–2 cm;

stigmas unlobed, with prominent triangular tongues, margins entire;

pedicel 2.5–8 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.

ovoid, ellipsoid, or long-cylindric, trigonal or polygonal in cross section, 3–6 × 1–2 cm.

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

in 2 rows per locule, pale brown, usually D-shaped, 5–8 mm, pitted, corky.

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

= 70, 72.

= 42, 44.