Flora of North America species comparison

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

roots fleshy.

superficial or very shallow, cordlike portion 1–2 dm × 2 mm, expanding to 10–15 mm diam., nodes with brown, scalelike leaves and few to no roots.

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

1–2-branched, 3–3.2 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 with blade pale green, 3.2 dm × 1.5 cm, margins scarious basally, apex acute, proximal 2 semi- sheathing, blade 5 cm, scarious;

cauline 1–2, sheathing branch and stem for ca. 1/2 their length, blade ca. 5 cm, semimembranous.

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.

2–3-branched, each unit with single flower, all borne at approximately the same level;

spathes 2–3 cm × 5 mm, subequal, scarious except basally and along midrib.

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 white or blue tinged with deep violet lines;

floral tube funnelform, 0.3 cm;

sepals oblong-spatulate, 2.8 × 1 cm, apex deeply emarginate, signal an inconspicuous crest with low, yellow, undissected ridge;

petals bluish white, oblanceolate-spatulate, base gradually attenuate into claw;

ovary elliptical, 0.4–0.7 cm;

style 1.8 cm, crests broadly obovate, 0.7 cm, margins erose;

stigmas triangular-acuminate, margins entire;

pedicel 0.4–1 cm, not lifting flower clear of spathes.

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

depressed-globose, roundly triangular, 0.9–1.5 × 1.2 cm.

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

pale brown, with whitish raphe, D-shaped, pitted.

= 70, 72.

= 28.