Flora of North America species comparison

all in basal rosettes, living at anthesis, 10–25 cm;

petiole narrowly winged distally, 0.1–9 cm, shorter than blade;

blade oblong-spatulate, obovate, or elliptic, 4–16 × 1.5–6.5 cm, leathery, base gradually tapered, margins entire, apex rounded or retuse, often short-cuspidate, cusp less than 1 mm;

main lateral veins ascending, obscurely pinnate.

all in basal rosettes, living at anthesis, 5–25(–40) cm;

petiole often narrowly winged distally, 0.1–20 cm, usually shorter than blade;

blade usually elliptic, spatulate, or obovate to oblanceolate (rarely linear), 5–15(–30) × 0.5–5(–7.5) cm, leathery, base gradually tapered, margins usually entire, sometimes undulate, apex rounded or acute to retuse, cuspidate, cusp 1–3 mm, soon falling;

main lateral veins ascending, obscurely pinnate.

axes not winged, 30–60(–100) cm × 2–3 mm, glabrous; nonflowering branchlets absent;

spikelets densely aggregated at tips of branchlets, internodes 0.5–3 mm; subtending bracts 1–5 mm, apex obtuse, surfaces and margins glabrous;

flowers 1–3 per spikelet.

axes not winged, 10–60(–95) cm × 1–5 mm, glabrous; nonflowering branchlets absent;

spikelets loosely to moderately densely aggregated along branches, internodes 0.5–10 mm; subtending bracts 2–6 mm, obtuse, surfaces and margins glabrous;

flowers solitary or 2–3(–5) per spikelet.

calyx whitish distally, with reddish brown ribs, obconic to slightly funnelform, 3.5–5 mm, ribs usually densely pubescent;

tube ca. 3 mm;

lobes spreading at maturity, 0.5–1.5 × 1–1.5 mm;

petals blue to nearly white, not exceeding calyx.

calyx whitish, obconic, 4–6.5(–7.5) mm;

tube 2.5–5 mm, glabrous or densely pilose along ribs;

lobes erect, to ca. 2 × 1 mm;

petals lavender (rarely white), slightly exceeding calyx.

2.5–3 mm.

3–5.5 mm.

= 36.