Flora of North America species comparison

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

napiform to shortly fusiform.

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

nodes glabrous.

suberect, becoming horizontal or deflexed after anthesis, base subterranean, 5–12 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, 4–15 cm, margins entire, apex obtuse to subacute;

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, rarely 2–3-flowered in racemose cymes;

bracts 2, opposite, linear-lanceolate, 6–18 mm, margins entire, 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, 0.5–2 cm diam.;

sepals 2, broadly ovate, 5–13 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins entire or with few shallow, nonglandular teeth, apex acute to subacute;

petals 5–10, white or rarely pinkish, elliptic to oblanceolate, 10–15(–20) mm;

stamens 6–15;

stigmas 3–6;

pedicel 10–40 mm.

dehiscence circumscissile near base, splitting from base toward apex.

5–10 mm.

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

20–50, 1.3 mm, shiny, muricate.

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

= 56.