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, to 30 cm;

petiole winged distally, to 18 cm, usually exceeding blade;

blade round to broadly ovate or subcordate, to 15 × 9 cm, leathery, base subtruncate (abruptly narrowed) and then decurrent, margins entire, apex cuspidate, cusp to 5 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 not winged, to 100 cm × 7 mm, glabrous to puberulent (hairs ca. 0.1 mm); nonflowering branches absent;

spikelets moderately to densely aggregated at tips of branches, internodes mostly 2–4 mm; subtending bracts 3–6 mm, acute or aristate (outer) to truncate (inner), ciliate or fimbriate at margins, surfaces glabrous or minutely appressed-pubescent;

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, glabrous ribs, funnelform;

tube ca. 5 mm, minutely pubescent along proximal end of ribs (hairs less than 0.1 mm);

lobes spreading, ca. 5 mm (5 main lobes with shallower lobes between larger lobes), or lobes indistinct and calyx appearing erose or irregularly lobed at mouth;

petals whitish, barely exceeding calyx.

ca. 5 mm.

4–5 mm.

= 16, 18.

= 14.