Flora of North America species comparison

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

roots fleshy.

with short, creeping branches, stout, 2–2.5 cm diam., covered with bases of old leaves;

roots numerous, fleshy.

rather weak, often falling over after flowering, solid, usually 1-branched, 5–10 dm.

simple or 1–2-branched, solid, 3–6 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 persistent, blade dark green, turning gray or yellow-brown when drying, veins not prominent, linear, 4–7 dm × 0.6–1 cm, usually longer than stem, glaucous or subglaucous, apex acute;

cauline 2–3, reduced.

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.

3–6-flowered;

spathes distant, inner sometimes 10 cm distal to outer, green, narrowly linear-lanceolate, 8–15 cm × 20–40 mm, herbaceous, margins and apex 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 pale blue-violet or nearly white, with lilac-purple veins;

floral tube funnelform, 0.5–1.3 cm;

sepals spreading, then drooping at apex, white, flecked and veined with violet, obovate, 8–10 × 3–5 cm, base attenuate into narrow claw with prominent yellow ridge, signal a yellowish basal patch;

petals semierect, oblong, 8–9 × 1.5–2 cm, base gradually attenuate, apex emarginate, bluntly rounded;

ovary trigonal with central ridge in each face, 2–5 cm;

style narrow basally, widening distally, 3.5–4 × 0.6–1 cm, crests overlapping basally, subquadrate, 1–1.5 cm, margins incised;

stigmas obscurely to prominently 2-lobed, margins crenate;

pedicels stout, 3–9 cm, unequal at anthesis, becoming ± equal at maturity.

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

6-ribbed, oblong-ovoid, tapering to either end, almost round in cross section, 8–9 cm.

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

dark brown, globular, wrinkled.

= 70, 72.

= 86, 88.