Flora of North America species comparison

(when present) 1–several, ascending, usually unbranched, 2–4 cm.

erect, green or flushed with red on proximal parts, sometimes inflorescence axis red, usually withside branches obliquely arising from rosette and secondary branches from main stem, 50–150 cm.

primarily in a basal rosette, sometimes also cauline, (0.5–)2.5–13(–19.5) × (0.2–)0.6–2.3(–2.7) cm;

petiole 0.5–5.2 cm;

blade oblanceolate to elliptic-oblanceolate (in some exceptionally large leaves), margins lyrate-pinnatifid to subentire (in very small ones), apex usually rounded, rarely acute.

in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 13–30 × 3–5 cm, cauline 5–15 × 2.5–4 cm;

blade dark to bright green, white- or red-veined, narrowly oblanceolate to oblanceolate, sometimes narrowly elliptic to lanceolate distally, margins usually conspicuously crinkled, sometimes undulate, bluntly dentate, teeth widely spaced, sometimes sinuate-dentate proximally or lobed;

bracts persistent.

erect, unbranched.

1–3(–10) per stem opening per day near sunset, without noticeable scent;

buds sometimes ± recurved before anthesis;

floral tube (20–)30–37(–47) mm;

sepals 4.5–12 mm;

petals white, fading pale pink, (6.5–)8–20(–25) mm;

filaments 5.2–7.5(–12) mm, anthers (1.4–)3–4.5(–6) mm;

style (24–)35–45(–56) mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis.

opening near sunset;

buds erect, 7–9 mm diam., with free tips terminal, erect to spreading, 5–8 mm;

floral tube 35–50 mm;

sepals yellowish green, usually flushed with red or red-striped, sometimes very dark red throughout, 28–45 mm;

petals yellow to pale yellow, fading yellowish white and somewhat translucent, very broadly obcordate, 35–50 mm;

filaments 17–25 mm, anthers 10–12 mm, pollen ca. 50% fertile;

style 50–80 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

falcate (especially before maturity), ellipsoid-ovoid to ovoid, obtusely 4-angled, 12–38 × 6–14 mm, tapering to a sterile beak 2–8 mm, dehiscent to 1/2 their length, valve margins with a sinuate ridge or 8–20 nearly distinct tubercles;

pedicel 0–10 mm.

erect or slightly spreading, dull green when dry, lanceoloid, 20–35 × 5–6 mm, free tips of valves 0.8–1.5 mm.

usually numerous, sometimes as few as 5, in 2 adjacent rows per locule, obovoid, 2.5–3.1 × 1.1–1.4 mm, embryo 1/2 of seed volume, surface minutely papillose to reticulate;

seed collar without membrane, producing a large empty cavity, margin irregularly sinuate.

1.3–2 ×1–1.5 mm, ca. 50% abortive.

= 14.

= 14.