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, 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.

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 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.

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 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.

ca. 5 mm.

2.5–3 mm.

= 16, 18.