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.

procumbent, 3–6 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 at or soon after anthesis, gradually narrowed to broad petiole, blade narrowly linear to linear-oblanceolate, flattened or channeled adaxially, 2.5–6 cm, margins entire, apex acute;

cauline leaves absent.

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.

usually with flowers borne singly, sometimes 2–3-flowered racemose cymes;

bracts 2, opposite, plus 1 subtending each successive flower if 2 or more flowers present, lanceolate, 5 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute.

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, 2.5–4 cm diam.;

sepals 2, broadly obovate, 4–10 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, apex rounded to truncate;

petals 5–10, white to very pale pink, often with reddish glands at apex, narrowly elliptic-oblong, 11–20 mm;

stamens 7–9;

stigmas 5–6;

pedicel 10–25 mm.

dehiscence circumscissile near base, splitting from base toward apex.

8 mm.

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

20–50, 1.5 mm, dullish, minutely granular.

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

= ca. 22.