Flora of North America species comparison

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

roots fleshy.

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

roots fibrous.

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

simple, solid, 1.5–2.5 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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

= 70, 72.

= 40.