Flora of North America species comparison

taproots, gradually ramified distally or fusiform to napiform, rarely globose and cormlike, fleshy.

gradually ramified distally.

deciduous, prostrate to erect, scapelike, simple or branched;

nodes glabrous.

± erect, becoming lax with age, 20–60 cm.

basal or basal and cauline;

basal leaves evergreen or ephemeral, in basal rosettes or tufts (except in L. triphylla);

cauline leaves, if present, alternate, opposite, or whorled, ± sessile or gradually or abruptly narrowed basally into broad, clasping petiole;

blade fleshy, margins entire, toothed, or crisped, often hyaline near base.

basal leaves withering after anthesis, abruptly or gradually narrowed to broad petiole, blade oblanceolate, 5–25 cm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse;

cauline leaves withering after anthesis, alternate, ± sessile, distalmost intergrading with bracts, reduced, blade lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 15–125 mm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse.

racemose, paniculate, or subumbellate cymes, pedunculate, or with flowers borne singly;

bracts persistent, 2(–9) at each flowering node, subequal, margins entire, toothed, or glandular-toothed, herbaceous or scarious.

3–7-branched paniculate cymes, 20–100-flowered;

bracts alternate proximally, 2 at each flowering node distally, ovate to orbiculate, 10–20 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute proximally to rounded distally.

pedicellate or sessile, persistent or disarticulate in fruit;

sepals persistent, 2(–9), equal or subequal when paired, margins entire, toothed, or glandular-toothed, herbaceous or scarious;

petals (4–)5–10(–19), twisting about and falling away with capsules after anthesis;

stamens 1–50, distinct to scarcely connate and/or adnate to petals basally;

ovules 1–50;

style branched;

stigmas 2–8.

pedicellate, not disarticulate in fruit;

sepals 2, suborbiculate to broadly obovate, 2–4 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, apex truncate to rounded;

petals 6–7, pale pink, veins magenta, base yellow-green, obovate, 7.5–10 mm;

stamens 4–5;

stigmas 3;

pedicel 5–10 mm.

dehiscence circumscissile near base, splitting from base toward apex.

3–4 mm.

1–50, brown or black, smooth or minutely sculpted, estrophiolate.

2 mm, shiny.

= 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

= ca. 24.