Flora of North America species comparison

erect, several-branched near ground, also branched proximal to inflorescences, 60–280 cm.

sometimes with lateral branches arising obliquely from rosette, 30–100(–150) cm.

in a basal rosette and cauline, 0.5–8 × 0.15–2 cm, sessile, blade narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate to very narrowly elliptic or linear, margins usually subentire or shallowly sinuate-dentate, sometimes deeply sinuate-dentate, often undulate.

in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 6–20 × 0.6–2 cm, cauline 3–15 × 0.8–2.5 cm;

blade narrowly oblanceolate, gradually narrowly elliptic to narrowly lanceolate, oblanceolate, or ovate distally, margins lobed to remotely dentate or subentire;

bracts slightly longer than capsule they subtend.

slender.

dense, usually without lateral branches, mature buds usually not overtopping spike apex.

4-merous, zygomorphic, opening near sunset;

floral tube 1.5–5 mm;

sepals 6–14 mm;

petals white, fading pink to red, slightly unequal, elliptic, 7–13 mm, clawed;

stamens presented in lower 1/2 of flower, filaments 4.5–11 mm, anthers 2–4.5 mm, pollen 90–100% fertile;

style 9–19 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

2–several per spike opening per day near sunset;

buds erect, with free tips erect, 0.5–3 mm;

floral tube slightly curved upward to ± straight, 30–45 mm;

sepals 15–30 mm;

petals yellow, broadly elliptic to rhombic-elliptic, 15–35 mm;

filaments 13–25 mm, anthers 3–8 mm, pollen 85–100% fertile;

style 25–50 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.

lanceoloid to narrowly ovoid, 4-winged, 9–19 × 1–3.5 mm, abruptly constricted to a long, sterile stipe 2–10 mm.

narrowly lanceoloid, 13–25 × 2.5–3 mm.

(1 or)2–4, 2–3(–4) × 0.8–1.3 mm, yellowish to light brown or rarely reddish brown.

brown, sometimes flecked with dark red spots, ellipsoid, 1–1.7 × 0.4–0.7 mm.

= 14.