Flora of North America species comparison

all in basal rosettes, living at anthesis, 6–16 × 1.5–3 cm;

petiole to ca. 5 cm, shorter than blade;

blade oblanceolate, 6–12 cm × 1.5–36 mm, herbaceous to chartaceous, base tapered to a sinuate wing, margins pinnately lobed to 1–3 mm from midrib (lobes mostly 4–6 per side, broadest near apex), apex cuspidate, cusp 1–3 mm, soon falling;

main lateral veins pinnate.

all in basal rosettes, living at anthesis, sessile or with very short petiole;

blade entire, oblanceolate, 15–35 × 5–10 cm, leathery, base tapered gradually to narrow or broad wing, margins entire, apex rounded, cuspidate, cusp 1–2 mm, soon falling;

main lateral veins pinnate.

axes narrowly 3–5-winged, 20–40(–50) cm × 3–5 mm, hispid (hairs to 1.5 mm), wings to 3 mm wide, each with ± leaflike, linear, hispid appendage 2–8 × 0.2–0.5 cm usually at branch points; nonflowering branches absent, spikelets moderately to densely aggregated at branch tips;

internodes mostly 5–10 mm; subtending bracts 5–10 mm, narrowly acuminate or often awned at tips, surfaces and margins hispid;

flowers 1–3 per spikelet.

axes broadly 2–3-winged, to 100+ cm × 8 mm, glabrous or pubescent (hairs ca. 0.2 mm), wings to ca. 7 mm wide, leaflike, net-veined, variable in width, interrupted at branch points, leaflike appendages absent; nonflowering branches absent;

spikelets moderately to densely aggregated at tips of branches, internodes mostly 3–8 mm; subtending bracts 5–7 mm, acute to truncate at tips, margins and surfaces glabrous or often densely pubescent or fimbriate;

flowers 1–2 per spikelet.

calyx blue to lavender distally, funnelform, glabrous or minutely hairy on tube, lobes not distinct, expanded portion spreading, 5–7 mm, erose;

petals pale yellow, exceeding calyx 2–4 mm.

calyx blue-purple in distal 1/2, with reddish brown, short-pubescent ribs, funnelform;

tube 5–6 mm, expanded portion 5–7 mm, lobes indistinct, glabrous;

petals whitish, barely exceeding calyx.

ca. 5 mm.

= 16, 18.